Akwa Ibom State High Court sitting in Uyo, on Thursday, sentenced a 29-year-old Resident Pastor of Living Faith Church, also known as Winners Chapel, Ifa Ikot Ubo–Ifa Ikot Okpon Branch, Uyo, Prince Emmanuel Umoh to death by hanging for the murder of his landlord, Gabriel Bassey Edward.
The judge, Justice Gabriel Ette convicted the pastor for stabbing to death, Edward, a 500-level Civil engineering student whose academic result, released posthumously, showed he graduated with First Class honours.
From the facts of the case made available, the deceased, a student of University of Uyo had relocated to his late mother’s property at Ifa Ikot Ubo to secure the estate and live closer to school.
His mother, before her death in December 2019, had established a nursery school on the property.
Evidence before the court showed that Edward lived in a two-bedroom flat attached to a long hall within the compound alongside his younger brother, Emmanuel Edward Bassey.
The hall, originally constructed for school purposes, was later rented to Living Faith Church for worship activities at an annual rent of N150,000, with the consent of his father, Emana Bassey Edward, a retired school principal.
The church was allowed to commence use of the hall, even before full payment of rent.
Prince Emmanuel Umoh was subsequently posted to the branch as its pioneer resident pastor.
Evidence presented in court revealed that ”on 21st December, 2020, the defendant was seen entering the deceased’s compound.
Neighbours later reported hearing loud screams of “Jesus” from inside the premises.
Shortly afterward, the defendant emerged wearing a white garment stained with blood, claiming he had fallen while attempting to hang a banner.
‘The deceased was never seen alive again.
On 26th December, 2020, a day after Christmas, Edward’s decomposing body was discovered in his room, wrapped in a mat with multiple lacerations.
A butcher’s knife was found beside him.
”The defendant, being the last person seen with Edward and possessing unexplained bloodstains while having repeated access to the premises, was promptly arrested and charged with murder.
The defendant was arraigned on 6th December, 2021, on a one-count charge of murder.
He pleaded not guilty.
To establish its case, the prosecution called six witnesses, including the deceased’s father, Emana Bassey Edward, who testified as the first prosecution witness (PW1).
PW1 told the court that shortly after the church began operations, the defendant requested permission to store church chairs and other items inside the deceased’s flat for security reasons, as the hall lacked doors and windows.
The request was granted.
However, the arrangement soon became problematic.
Whenever the defendant needed access to church property kept in the flat, the deceased, often away, had to return home to grant access, incurring transport expenses that were not refunded.
Following complaints, PW1 directed his son to give the defendant a spare key to ease access.
The prosecution led evidence that after the key was handed over, items belonging to the deceased’s late mother, including clothes, plates and other valuables, began to go missing.
The defendant, being in possession of the spare key, became a suspect.
When confronted, the defendant claimed he had lost the key.
The matter was reported to the church’s senior pastor, Owoidoho Etuk Akpan, who testified as a defence witness, who provided N5,000 to enable the deceased change the locks.
According to evidence before the court, no further items went missing after the locks were changed.
Tensions later arose between the deceased and the defendant over the handling of rent money reportedly paid for the use of the hall and intended for repairs.
In a detailed and emotionally charged judgment read for over two hours, Justice Gabriel Ette described the case as “very sympathetic,” recounting the efforts of the deceased’s late mother to build and develop the property for educational purposes before her death.
The court found that the prosecution proved its case beyond reasonable doubt.
In sentencing the defendant, Justice Ette condemned the act, noting the irony of a religious leader taking a life within church premises.
“Life is sacred and those who represent God on earth should teach that. It is an irony and quite appalling when a man who claims to be the representative of the divine on earth stoops so low as to denigrate the very essence of his calling and take someone’s life in the premises of the church.” Justice Ette held.
He further stated that individuals who betray public trust in such a manner, pose a danger to society and must face the full weight of the law.
“Having found you guilty as charged, I hereby sentence you to death by hanging,” the court held.
The Eleme Local Government Council in Rivers State has arrested two suspects linked to a stolen Toyota Corolla.
The Chief Security Officer of the council, Comr. Greg Emere Ogosu, who confirmed the incident on Wednesday, April 22, 2026 said the arrests followed ongoing efforts to fight crime in the area.
According to Ogosu, the suspects had been under watch since April 5, 2026, when the stolen car was found hidden at New Road in Onne.
The duo was later arrested after a manhunt and confessed to the crime.
He added that they have been handed over to the Nigeria Police for proper investigation and prosecution, stressing that there is no room for jungle justice in Eleme.
The council also warned that criminal activities will not be allowed in the area.
Suspected Boko Haram terrorists have killed 20 persons in Pubagu, Askira Uba Local Government Area of Borno State, and Mayo-Ladde in Hong Local Government Area of Adamawa State.
Our correspondent gathered that the terrorists stormed the two border communities around 4 p.m. on Tuesday, overpowering local security operatives before killing residents.
Confirming the attack exclusively to PUNCH Online on Wednesday, the Chairman of Askira Uba Local Government Area, Mada Saidu, said 11 people were killed in Pubagu, Borno State, while nine lost their lives in Hong Local Government Area of Adamawa State.
He said, “Yes, there was an attack in Pubagu, Askira Uba, yesterday, Tuesday, around 4 p.m. Eleven people were killed. While in Mayo-Ladde, Hong Local Government in Adamawa State, nine people were killed.”
The two locations, according to him, are separated by a river.
“In total, we have 20 deaths, 11 from Askira Uba in Borno, nine from Hong Local Government, Adamawa,” he added.
Saidu noted that the insurgents overpowered local security operatives, gained access to the communities, and shot their victims.
“I later went there together with the Army. Initially, it was local security that was there, that is, hunters and vigilantes. But they were overpowered by the terrorists,” he stated.
Eyewitnesses said the attackers stormed the communities on motorcycles and operated for hours, destroying homes and looting property.
One of the survivors, who pleaded anonymity, said, “Yesterday evening, the terrorists stormed our community in Pubagu. They shot sporadically for hours, burning houses and shops. They killed both men and women after operating for over one hour.”
The source added that the terrorists operated with little resistance from security operatives.
“The local vigilantes and hunters tried their best. Unfortunately, the terrorists were well armed and in much greater numbers. The resistance was not strong enough. The hunters later fled for their lives, too,” the source added.
On April 16, PUNCH Online reported that Boko Haram terrorists killed four soldiers and one civilian in Mussa community in Askira Uba Local Government Area.
The Chairman of the local government, Mada Saidu, who confirmed the earlier attack, said the civilian casualty was a woman.
Operatives of the Lagos Zonal Directorate 2 of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission EFCC, Ikoyi, Lagos have commenced an investigation of a suspected fake lawyer, John Anoruo, for possession of a forged seal of the Nigerian Bar Association, NBA.
Anoruo, who operates a legal and educational consultancy in the Ikorodu area of Lagos, was arrested by EFCC operatives on Monday, April 20, 2026.
The agency in a statement said his case began after he submitted a petition dated September 22, 2025 to the EFCC, on behalf of his clients, against the management of a company, Global West Vessel Specialist Nigeria Limited.
However, investigations revealed that both the petition and the subsequent Letter of Withdrawal dated March 5, 2026, bore a forged seal of the Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, which Anoruo confessed to have obtained from an undisclosed business centre in Lagos.
During investigations,the 55-year-old claimed that although he obtained a Law degree in 2018 from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Enugu State, through evening classes, he did not attend the Nigerian Law School.
The agency says the suspect will be charged to court as soon as investigations are concluded.
