Imo: Archbishop Stripped Naked By Gunmen

By Charles Igbo

For Archbishop Paul Hansen, it was a Sunday like no other.

He had woken up and prepared for a long day, and a very important mission.

Hansen, the Founder and Archbishop of a Pentecostal  Church, Unifaith Living Church Incorporated, was on his way from his Akwa Ibom State base to Ogidi, Anambra State. His mission to Anambra was to consecrate  the Bishop of one of his branches, Norman Okeorimili.

The journey was smooth until he got to Orlu, Imo State. Specifically at Akare Market Square, the story changed. He ran into gunmen who intercepted him. They went to work on him.

Without any consideration for Hansen’s status as an Archbishop, the gunmen stripped him naked, and made away with car, his Priestly dress, rank badge, money and six phones, including that of his driver.

The Archbishop and his driver were lucky they were not kidnapped, as well.

Time was about 2.00pm.

Left naked and helpless, it was a good Samaritan who rescued Hansen both men. Their benefactor drove them to the nearest Police Division, from where Hansen called the DPO in his area of residence, and narrated his fate.

Hansen who narrated his ordeal to Journalists when he, finally, arrived at the Church in Ogidi said: “The incident happened at Akata, Orlu Market Square, Imo State, while I was coming from Akwa Ibom State to consecrate the Bishop of our Church,  Norman Okeorimili, in Ogidi.

“I was stripped. They left me with a pant, my car and all in it removed. They included six phones that included those of my driver, money, regalia, badge rank among others.

“It was somebody I don’t know that brought his car to help me. He helped me to the  Police Area Commander, and from there, I called my own Divisional Police Officer in Akwa Ibom, and told him what happened.”

Since 9th December, violence in the South-east has escalated following a five-day sit-at-home order declared by Finland-based Simon Ekpa, an estranged member of the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra, IPOB.

IPOB has since denied him and his activities and utterances. His order is, also, being resisted by outraged South Easterners.