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BBC journalists accuse Father Mbaka of assaulting them in Enugu
Two journalists working with the BBC Igbo, Chioma Obianinwa and Nnamdi Agbaelo, have accused Father Ejike Mbaka, the Spiritual Director of Adoration Ministry, Enugu, Nigeria (AMEN), of brutalizing and assaulting them when they went to interview him on Wednesday, December 9.
The journalists who narrated their ordeal at the hands of Father Mbaka, said he had given them an appointment for an interview but when they went to meet up with the appointment, instead of granting them the interview after waiting for him for several hours, the man of God unleashed his staff on them and they were beaten up while their mobile phones and equipment were confiscated.
One of the journalists, Obianinwa, who led the team for the interview, said they had waited for Father Mbaka for three hours before they were attacked.
“We came to interview Father Mbaka in the Adoration Camp during prayer time, but he told us to go to his house which is also in the camp, to wait for him.
“We waited for three hours before he came to us, and then he changed and started to show resentment, saying we had written bad reports about him.
Read also: Adoration Ministry claims COVID-19 is fulfilment of Father Mbaka’s prophecy
“Father Mbaka then ordered his staff to take our TV gadgets and cell phones and beat us.
“The boys he sent to beat us threatened to kill us for reporting bad things against Father Mbaka. They took off my wig and started beating me and my colleagues.
“Father Mbaka then told us to leave before the boys would kill us as they were very angry with us for writing bad things against him.
“When we managed to leave the camp, the boys continued to follow us, threatening to kill us if we ever came back. They followed us till we managed to enter our vehicle and drive away.”
According to the BBC Igbo, the attack on the journalists might not be unconnected with an interview they had with one Rev Fr Cajetan Obiekezie, who claimed to be a friend of Father Mbaka.
In the interview, Rev. Obiekezie had criticized Father Mbaka for some of the political issues he was involved in, which he said were inappropriate.
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