Shock As ECWA Deacon Dies In Church While Preaching Against Ritual Killings

Members of the Evangelical Church Winning All (ECWA), Onikoko, Abeokuta, Ogun State, were thrown into confusion when one of the church leaders, Deacon Francis Ogunnusi, slumped and reportedly died while preaching on the altar.

Ogunnusi, who was preaching in Yoruba was warning the congregation against ritual killings which have become rampant in the state.

The deacon said “The money you make through killing of people, using human blood for money- when death comes, the money will be taken over by other persons.”

As seen in a video watched by THE WHISTLER correspondent, the deacon was dressed in white native dress and holding the microphone, the interpreter was interpreting what Ogunnusi said in English when he ( Ogunnusi) suddenly slumped and fell to the ground.

It was gathered that he was rushed to the Federal Medical Centre but was confirmed dead there.

Some of the church members who spoke to some journalists on Tuesday said the death brought the service to an abrupt end.

One of them said the whole church was thrown into confusion as the man slumped and immediately he was rushed to the hospital, the benediction was said and everybody went to their homes.

Another member said the cause of the death could not be immediately ascertained as the deceased might be nursing an ailment which was not known to many.

Ritual killings frequently happen in Ogun State in recent times and one of the cases was a girl who went to visit her boyfriend but ended up being killed by him and his otter friends for money ritual.

Governor Dapo Abiodun recently said anybody caught for ritual killing would be severely dealt with.

The governor said, “For us, we have emplaced security measures in schools and all the villages, hamlets and towns to ensure zero-tolerance for ritualists. We will trail them, apprehend them, investigate them and make them serve as examples for those harbouring such sinister routes to wealth acquisition.

“You will recall that the government made parents sign an undertaking on behalf of their wards as part of conditions for enrolment into schools the last term.

“This is to make them partly answerable for their wards’ vices and we are serious about stemming the tide of indiscipline in our state generally.

“Ogun has always been defined by integrity, hard work, service, valour and diligence. All hands must be on deck to arrest the moral decadence, particularly, among the youths who are deceived that there is a shortcut to success.

“Let me warn again, for the umpteenth time that anybody caught engaging in ritual killings and other crimes will be made to face the wrath of the law.”