Over 2,000 worshippers that attended the morning mass of the Assumpta Catholic Cathedral, located at the popular Control Post in Owerri, Imo State capital, on Sunday scampered for safety over the alarm raised from outside the church premises of a suspected Boko Haram sect member who allegedly attempted to set a tanker loaded with fuel that fell very close to the church on fire.
According to leadership.ng, an witness who refused to disclose his identity, a cripple known as Destiny Abraham was seen climbing a fence near the spot where the tanker fell with a lighter in his hand, but as he attempted to ignite the tanker that was still gushing out fuel, he was held by a mob who had gathered to rescue the tanker from perceived danger.
“When the tanker fell, fuel started pouring on the ground and people started running in different directions and this caused heavy commotion and traffic gridlock at the scene; the casualty figure would have been very high. But thank God the suspect was apprehended before he carried out his evil plan,” said the witness.
The archbishop of the Owerri Ecclesiastical Province, Archbishop Anthony Obinna, who is the presiding bishop of the Assumpta Cathedral, expressed worry over the spate of petroleum tanker accidents at the Control Post junction.
He said that the incident occurred while he was holding the service and perceived the smell of the fuel. “I was celebrating Mass when we perceived heavy smell of fuel coming into the Church; when we looked out, there was noise which attracted my attention and when I came out, I saw that a tanker had fallen and a cripple was apprehended.”
However, the suspect who said he was a Christian from Taraba State denied any link with the Boko Haram sect, insisting that he was climbing the fence to fetch some leaves.
“I was climbing the fence to get some leaves when the fuel was licking but some people pulled me down and the lighter which I use to smoke cigarettes fell from my trousers and they said that I wanted to ignite the tanker which is not true,” Abraham lamented. When the state police public relations officer, Mr Andrew Enwerem (DSP) was contacted, he said that the incident was a mere accident being exaggerated by the people.
“When we got to the scene, we searched the suspect and no lighter as speculated was found on him; so we allowed him to go; no arrest was made. It was just a wolf’s cry; there is nothing like Boko Haram’s involvement; it was purely a case of accident,” Enwerem said.
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