Pastor hacks wife over failure to attend church

The police in Ogun State have arrested a pastor with a first generation pentecostal church, Daniel Samuel, for allegedly attacking his wife, Patience Samuel, with machete and inflicting deep cuts at the back of her neck.

The pastor allegedly attacked his wife over her alleged persistent failure to attend prayer meetings and other church programmes.

Our correspondent gathered that 45- year-old David, who became the pastor of the Ode Remo branch of the church about a year ago, had travelled to Owode-Egba in Obafemi Owode Local Government Area, where his wife works and allegedly hit her with the machete that left her injured.

Punch Metro learnt that the pastor had accused his 42-year-old wife of shirking in her dedication to church programmes. The pastor was said to have on several occasions complained to his in-laws about his wife’s obsession with office work at the expense of her family and church services. Our correspondent however learnt that Patience also sells firewood, charcoal and food at the Redemption Camp to augment her husband’s N15,000 monthly salary and to support their five children. An elder brother of the victim, Samson Akpikie, was said to have earlier arranged a meeting between the couple and other district pastors of the church for December 15 (yesterday) to resolve their lingering differences. But the Pastor, who could not wait, was said to have visited his wife at her station where their disagreement degenerated into a heated argument. The pastor allegedly attacked his wife with a machete during the argument. It was said David initially alerted the neighbours that his wife was attacked by some unknown men. But doctors at the Federal Medical Center, Idi-Aba, Abeokuta, where the injured wife was taken to, ordered that the case be reported to the police. The pastor was said to have gone to the Owode-Egba Police Station, where he told the police that the woman was attacked by unknown men. The police were said to have detained the pastor who later confessed to the crime after interrogation. The Ogun Command Police Public Relations Officer, Muyiwa Adejobi, confirmed the incident. He said, “The pastor is with us, he initially lied to the police that his wife was attacked by some men, but later confessed after interrogation. He will soon be charged to court for false information and wounding.” At the FMC, our correspondent observed that the pastor’s wife could only utter some incoherent words when she was asked questions. The Consultant of Orthopaedics and Trauma, who was in charge of the patient, Doctor Ojeblenu, said the woman would remain under close observation because of the depth of the injury and the psychological trauma she might be going through.