Benue police rescue Pastor, church member from mob amid disappearing organ allegation

Benue police rescue Pastor, church member from mob amid disappearing organ allegation

In a recent incident in Kanshio New Layout, Makurdi, the Benue State Police Command intervened to rescue a pastor and a member of his congregation who were wrongfully accused of organ harvesting by local youths.

The incident unfolded in the capital city of Benue State when some youths subjected a pastor from the Deeper Christian Life Ministry, known simply as Pastor Terna, and a church member named Jude Tyokula to violence on the suspicion of organ theft.

A video clip depicting the incident circulated on social media, showing Tyokula being stripped naked and assaulted, while a local youth leader questioned him. In the video, Tyokula, a member of the Ihiarev clan, confessed to having harvested someone’s organ in the community, claiming to have done it through prayer. He further alleged that Pastor Terna, whom he had known since 2008 and worshipped under since 2012, had engaged him for the task in exchange for one million naira.

Tyokula, who also mentioned that he worked as a security officer in a Makurdi bank, expressed his involvement in the church and his loyalty to the pastor.

However, the Benue State Police Command refuted the alleged organ theft, describing it as completely false and baseless. According to the command’s spokesperson, Catherine Anene, the entire incident was triggered by someone in the community raising a false alarm, leading to local youths assaulting the nearest person they could find.

Anene explained that the falsely accused individual decided to admit guilt and implicate his pastor to save his own life, hoping that the pastor would intervene. Consequently, both the church member and Pastor Terna were subjected to violence by the misguided youths.

The police intervened to rescue the accused individuals after learning of the situation. Anene expressed her dismay at the incident, describing it as inhumane and unacceptable. She clarified that there was no factual basis to the accusations.

While allegations of organ theft have been made in the past, Anene emphasized that such claims have never been substantiated. As of now, no arrests have been made in connection with this incident.