Quote:Chidiebube Okeoma , Owerri


A man , identified as an Anglican Church priest , has set the two Automated Teller Machines installed by Imo Microfinance Bank at Aba Branch in the Ehime Mbano Local Government Area of Imo State on fire .

The man , whose action caused pandemonium in the area , equally set his motorcycle on fire before he was overpowered by security men and bank customers .

An eyewitness , Kingsley Chukwu , told Southern City News on Sunday that the incident happened on Friday .

Chukwu disclosed that the cleric identified as Rev . Chukwunyere Ibezim of St . Stephen ’ s Anglican Church , Ugiri in the Isiala Mbano LGA , was beaten by an enraged crowd .

“ Rev. Chukwunyere Ibezim of St . Stephen ’ s Anglican Church , Ugiri in Isiala Mbano LGA is cooling off his heels in the police net for breaking into the bank in broad daylight with a gallon of fuel and setting the two installed ATMs on fire.

“ On noticing that people would go after him , he smartly ran out of the bank , set his own motorcycle on fire in a bid to scare people away and took to his heels .

“ A mob went after him and almost crushed him . It took the intervention of policemen from the Ehime Mbano Divisional Headquarters to save him from being lynched.

“ The sum of N 100 , 000 was recovered from him . A new hammer was equally recovered from him . He came on a brand new motorcycle which he later set ablaze also , ” Chukwu narrated .

Chukwu , who lamented the wanton destruction, said the damage would affect the locals as it was the only commercial bank within the area .

Imo Microfinance Bank has only three branches in Imo State. The one attacked by the priest is the only one in Ehime Mbano .

It is a Rescue Mission Project attracted by the former Transition Committee chairman of Ehime Mbano LGA , Chike Orjiako , who is currently the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor Rochas Okorocha , on Assets and Liabilities .

Confirming the arson , the Commissioner of Police in the state , Chris Ezike, disclosed that the medical checks ran on the priest by his command revealed that the suspect was a psychiatric patient.

Ezike, who condemned the unprovoked attack on a public facility , said the cleric had been taken to a psychiatric home in Enugu State.

The CP said , “ The young man is a psychiatric patient . A medical check carried out by the medical team of the command revealed that he is a psychiatric patient and we have taken him to a psychiatric home in Enugu State. ”