He also said that his church complied with the directive of the Abia State government that some structures in the church be adjusted backward for an ongoing road expansion project.
Eleazar Onyenweaku, the Associate Pastor of the United Evangelical Church, Ehere/Umuola, Ogbor Hill, Aba, has criticized the Abia State Police Command for stating that no bomb or explosive was found in the church.
Pastor Onyenweaku, who described the police’s statement as falsehood, maintained that a dangerous explosive device was indeed exhumed from shallow soil last Friday while laborers excavated a foundation for a new perimeter fence around the church parsonage.
He also said that his church complied with the directive of the Abia State government that some structures in the church be adjusted backward for an ongoing road expansion project.
The Abia State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Maureen Chinaka, had on Tuesday, dismissed media reports of the incident in an official statement, asserting that no bomb or explosive was recovered.
But Onyenweaku expressed disbelief at the police conclusion, questioning how it was reached without any officer visiting the site.
He recounted that workers, digging carefully to avoid underground water pipes, uncovered a metallic object buried less than a foot deep.
He said initially mistaken for scrap metal, it was examined more closely after the site engineer cleaned it.
“Having lived in Northern Nigeria where I had seen explosives before, I immediately recognized it. The safety ring was still intact,” the pastor said.
According to the cleric, he quickly isolated the object near a plantain stand and failing to reach military contacts directly, rushed to Ndoki Primary School military base with photographs.
A team led by a Captain responded, and according to him, confirmed the item’s dangerous nature, evacuated it in a Hilux vehicle, and warned of possible additional buried devices.
The pastor explained his decision to approach the military first, citing their expertise with explosives over police resources.
He rejected suggestions that the device was a relic from the Nigerian Civil War, noting its lack of rust and relatively new appearance.
While not accusing anyone specifically, Pastor Onyenweaku appealed to Abia State Governor, Alex Otti for a thorough investigation, including the installation of full premises scan to reduce the fears among his Church members.
Also some elders of the church, Andy Amadi and Obioma Adielle insisted that explosive object was found in the Church, calling for a thorough investigation.