Reported By Mary Udezue | Edited by: Gabriel Osa
A developing controversy has emerged in Aba, Abia State, after conflicting accounts from the United Evangelical Church and the Abia State Police Command over the alleged discovery of a suspected explosive device on the church premises.
Church officials at the United Evangelical Church in Ehere/Umuola, Ogbor Hill say they are baffled by the police denial of a bomb discovery and assert that security personnel have never visited the site to investigate what they believe was a dangerous find during excavation work for a new fence. The church’s board chairman, Elder Ariomnwa Amadi, stated that despite reports circulated in the media and official police statements dismissing the incident, no officer from the police command had been to the church to inspect the object or speak with church leadership. He said journalists, the Department of State Services (DSS) and other organisations visited the scene, but police did not. Church leaders described the police denial as “pitying” given that soldiers were invited to evacuate what they thought was an explosive device. Church representatives also noted that the removal of the object had sparked concern among members and the local community.
The Abia State Police Command, however, has maintained that no bomb or explosive was recovered from the church premises. Commissioner of Police Danladi Isa, through Police Public Relations Officer Maureen Chinaka, stated that investigations conducted by the Divisional Police Officer covering the area found nothing suggestive of an explosive device, and that what was removed by military personnel was an iron rod related to ongoing road works. The police clarified that the church’s structure had encroached on a road reconstruction project along Okiriko Lane, prompting adjustments that involved removal of parts of the church’s pillars. They insisted that no bomb was found and there was no security threat requiring police action.
The disagreement was further underscored by vocal rebuttals from church clergy. Associate Pastor Eleazar Onyenweaku has publicly disputed the police position, insisting an explosive device was indeed unearthed during the fence excavation and questioning how authorities could conclude otherwise without conducting an on-site assessment. He described the police statement as “false and misleading,” and appealed for an independent investigation and increased security measures to reassure worshippers and residents. According to his account, the object was unearthed near the parsonage and initially mistaken for scrap metal before closer scrutiny prompted concern it might be explosive.
While the police maintain that officers, including the Divisional Police Officer and the Explosive Ordnance Department personnel, have conducted assessments, the church contends that tangible engagement did not occur at the location where the object was found. Church officials said they had not met any police representative during the aftermath of the incident, even though soldiers from a nearby military base responded to remove the object. The DSS reportedly visited for preliminary inquiries, according to church leaders.
The situation unfolded amid broader security concerns and has attracted attention because it involves potential public safety risks in a densely populated urban area. Conflicting narratives between the church and police command have stimulated local debate over transparency and proper handling of security alerts involving suspected explosives.
For residents and worshippers in Ogbor Hill, the dispute has raised concerns about effective communication and coordinated response between security agencies and community organisations. Some local observers have urged clearer explanations and possibly independent assessments to resolve the inconsistency between what the church says it experienced and what the police assert through official channels.
At time of reporting, neither side had altered its position. The police continue to insist that no bomb was recovered and that security threats have been properly assessed and ruled out, while the church stands by its claim that a serious incident occurred and that authorities have not adequately addressed it.
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