Police launch manhunt for Church member who killed his pastor in Delta

A Pentecostal Church cleric, Pastor Greg Sagie, has reportedly been killed in his home by a suspected Church member, who attacked him with a machete in Sapele, Delta State.

Reports say the pastor, believed to be in his 60s, was resting in his bedroom at the pipeline area of MTN Road when the Church member barged into his flat and threatened his two children with machete.

The assailant, according to reports, later killed him.

Reports further said the terrified children ran out of the house and screamed for help.

A source, who claimed to be part of those who took Pastor Sagie’s remains to the mortuary and his neighbour, reportedly said that the area was isolated and had few houses.

He said they heard the children scream that someone was inside attacking their father with a machete.

“We ran out and saw the attacker. He was a young man in his 20s. He threatened us that if we dared to climb the storey building to meet him, he would kill us. He then jumped from the storey building and fled,” the source who simply called her name as Nneka said.

The source added that the children identified the attacker as a member of their Church.

“The children told us he was a member of their Church and that they recognize him. They even described where he lived,” the source said.

Pastor Sagie was said to have sustained severe cuts on his head and died on the way to the hospital.

“He breathed his last on the way to the hospital where his car broke down,” another neighbour named Isaac said.

The police have since cordoned off the area and conducting investigations.

The police spokesperson, Bright Edafe, could not be reached for confirmation of the incident but a source quoted the police as saying detectives were on the trail of the fleeing suspect.

“We are yet to know the motive behind the attack, but the police would unravel it soon,” the security source who craved anonymity said.

He appealed with anyone with useful information that could lead to the arrest of the suspect to contact the nearest police station.

He also urged residents of Sapele to remain calm and law-abiding, assuring them that justice would be done in the case.

Pastor Sagie was described by his Church members as a humble and dedicated man of God, who preached peace and love; an irony that he was killed by his Church member.