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Tag: Joseph Pessu

  • COVID-19: RCCG parish throws out pews, puts food packs in place for the needy [PHOTOS]

    COVID-19: RCCG parish throws out pews, puts food packs in place for the needy [PHOTOS]

    A Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) parish in Warri, Delta State, where security operatives killed a 28-year-old man named Joseph Pessu on Thursday, has set its pews aside and neatly arranged food packs in place.

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports the RCCG parish is the Champions Cathedral parish in Warri Province 5, and the food packs are for onward distribution to members, and neighbours of the church, who are in need.

    Food packs replace pews at Champions Cathedral
    Caretakers watch over the food packs at Champions Cathedral
    Caretakers watch over the food packs at Champions Cathedral
    A prayer session before distribution of the food packs at Champions Cathedral
    Church workers package the foodstuffs at Champions Cathedral
    Packaging of the foodstuffs at Champions Cathedral
    Distribution of the food packs at Champions Cathedral
    Distribution of the food packs at Champions Cathedral
    Beneficiaries leaving RCCG parish happy
    Some beneficiaries don’t mind a pose for the camera

    According to sources, the church has always carried out this goodwill back to back, but that this time around, the church is doing it to ameliorate the effects of the government stay at home order in the face of the Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic.

    Recall that COVID-19 broke out in the country in late February and governments at all levels, including the Delta State Government, put containment measures in place.

    As part of the containment measures, the government closed all borders to avoid more imported cases of COVID-19. Also, citizens were advised to stay at home to avoid community transmission.

    The government has also banned large gatherings, leaving pews empty, as churches now find new ways to hold programmes.

    However, with the stay at home orders being enforced across States of the federation, there are attendant consequences. Many Nigerians have complained of lack of power supply and hunger.

    While the government is distributing cash to the vulnerable, and individuals are donating funds for the poor in the society, churches are not left out.

  • Buhari’s minister condemns killing of Joseph Pessu, says act is barbaric

    Buhari’s minister condemns killing of Joseph Pessu, says act is barbaric

    Festus Keyamo, Minister of State for Labour and Employment has condemned the killing of Joseph Pessu, describing the incident as a barbaric act.

    In a statement personally signed, the Minister said he would be forwarding a petition to the relevant authorities to thoroughly investigate this murder.

    The statement reads: “I have received disturbing reports and images of the high-handedness and shooting of innocent citizens by men of the armed forces deployed to enforce the COVID-19 lockdown in my State, Delta State.

    “Specifically, I have received reports of the killing of an innocent young man, Mr. Joseph Pessu in Warri. I unreservedly condemn this barbaric act by men of the armed forces who should exercise restraint when dealing with the civilian populace. I will be forwarding a petition to the relevant authorities to thoroughly investigate this murder and bring the officer(s) to book. In the interim, let us not take the laws into our hands, please.

    “I will also use this medium to sincerely appeal to my brothers and sisters in Delta State to be law-abiding and obey the orders of restrictions imposed by both the Delta State Government and the Federal Government.

    “They are lawful orders and they are for our own good. Images and reports of attack on law-enforcement agents by the civilian populace do not help our cause. I call on all and sundry in the entire country too to exercise the utmost restraint at this point”.

  • Itsekiri youths blow hot over killing of Joseph Pessu

    Itsekiri youths blow hot over killing of Joseph Pessu

    The Itsekiri National Youths Council (INYC) has expressed sadness over the killing of Joseph Pessu, and has called on the government to make sure the killer is brought to book.

    In a statement jointly signed by Comr. Weyinmi Agbateyiniro, President, INYC and Comr. Appearance Afejuku, Secretary General, INYC, the Itsekiri youths narrated how Joseph was killed.

    The statement reads: “The attention of the Itsekiri National Youths Council (INYC) and its President Comr. Weyinmi Agbateyiniro, have been drawn to the gruesome killing of one of his members by men of the Nigerian Army at Ada Val Arenyenka Street, Ugbuwangue earlier this morning in Warri.

    “The Council gathered that Late Mr. Joseph Pessu, a law abiding citizen and committed member of the INYC was racing through NPA Express Way to go pick his sick father to the hospital when men of the Nigerian Army flagged him down. Before he could apply his breaks, one of his tyres was deflated. He managed to negotiate into the nearby Ada Val Arenyenka Street. As he alighted his car to query why he was shot at, one of the gun wielding officer shot him at close range. Mr. Joseph died on the spot.

    “The INYC is using this medium to call on the Delta State Government and the Nigerian Army to fish out the recalcitrant and blood thirsty Army officer who used the excuse of the Covid 19 Lockdown enforcement to murder a defenseless citizen of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

    “The INYC queries the deployment of men of the Nigerian Army to enforce a Lockdown against a virus that is yet to claim any life in Warri and Delta State but instead it is the bullet of the Nigerian Army Officer that has claimed a precious life.

    “We demand justice for late Joseph Pessu. We want the murderous officer to be apprehended and punished according to the dictates of the law. Otherwise, we may not be able to manage the events that will happen hereinafter especially in this period of Lockdown”.

  • Warri Boys Association demands justice for Joseph Pessu

    Warri Boys Association demands justice for Joseph Pessu

    The Lagos State chapter of Warri Boys Association (WBA) has called for calm and demanded justice for Joseph Pessu, who was killed allegedly by an officer in the Nigerian Army.

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports WBA made the demand in a statement signed by Mr Harrison Jalla, urging the government to ensure that the erring security agents are fished out immediately and justice done to the soul of Joseph Pessu.

    The statement reads: “President of the Warri Boys Association (WBA), Lagos, Mr Harrison Jalla has expressed shock over the gruesome murder of Mr. Joseph Pessu, allegedly killed by men of the Nigerian Army, who were reported to have shot Pessu for initially refusing to stop when he was flagged down.

    “Mr. Joseph Pessu according to reports was said to be driving through the NPA express way in Warri to pick his sick father to the hospital when men of the Nigerian Army were said to have flagged him to stop before his tyres were shot at by the security agents. Mr Joseph Pessu was however able to pull over at Ada Val Arenyenka Street, Ugbuwangue on the same express way, where he was allegedly shot at close range and subsequently died on the spot.

    “The WBA President, Mr. Jalla, expressed his association’s sadness over the way and manner the security agents handled the situation which unfortunately resulted to the untimely death of Joseph Pessu. Mr Jalla is therefore using this medium to call on the Delta State government, the Nigeria Army high command and Mr. President to ensure the erring and blood thirsty security agents involved in this dastardly act are fished out immediately and justice done to the soul of Joseph Pessu.

    “The Warri Boys Association President would also like to advice that the COVID-19 lockdown enforcement by security agencies should be done with ultimate decorum and extreme civility in accordance with global best practices so that the citizens are not further subjected to mental torture and undue harrassment by overzealous security personnel.

    “In the same vein, Mr. Jalla also urged the Delta State vigilante security outfit popularly called ‘Okowa Police’ to refrain from further harrassments of citizens in the state going by the unpleasant and unsightly behavior of some of their personnel in different video footages circulating online.

    “In conclusion, Mr Harrison Jalla, on behalf of the Warri Boys, Lagos; most passionately appealed to youths in Warri not to take the laws into their hands by attacking or assaulting security agents, even as he further urged them to restrain themselves from any wanton destruction or any retaliatory or reprisals attacks on the security operatives.

    “Mr. Jalla specifically condemned any acts of jungle justice on the side of the youths as being circulated online where some persons were seen attacking and assaulting security operatives and advised strongly that the appropriate authorities be allowed to intervene for justice to be done on the gruesome murder of Mr. Joseph Pessu”.

  • COVID-19: Govt calls for investigation into killing of Joseph Pessu in Warri

    COVID-19: Govt calls for investigation into killing of Joseph Pessu in Warri

    Delta State Government has called for an investigation into the alleged killing of a 28 year old Joseph Pessu in Warri on Thursday.

    The State Commissioner for Information, Mr Charles Aniagwu in a statement in Asaba said the government was worried about the report of Joseph allegedly by security agencies on regular patrol duty.

    The Commissioner said the State government has sent a delegation to the deceased family to condole with them over the loss of their son.

    He stated that the military authorities have been contacted to carry out an investigation into what led to the killing of the deceased.

    He, however, called on the people to remain calm and not to take laws into their hands while the government conducts an investigation into the killing.

    Mr Aniagwu thanked Deltans for their cooperation so far by remaining indoors and called for further cooperation with the State Government in the best interest of Deltans.

  • Lockdown goes wrong in Delta, residents attack army officers after soldier kills Warri boy

    Lockdown goes wrong in Delta, residents attack army officers after soldier kills Warri boy

    The Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) lockdown seemingly has gone wrong in Delta State after an army officer reportedly killed a young man for allegedly driving on the road instead of staying at home.

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports the incident, which occurred at Ugbuwangue in Warri South Local Government Area of the State, resulted to a violent protest.

    According to an eyewitness, who revealed the name of the victim as Joseph Pessu, the victim was on his way to his sick father’s house to take him to the hospital before he met his waterloo.

    The eyewitness narrated that haste did not allow Joseph to stop when he was flagged down by some army officers, who were on patrol along the NPA expressway. An army officer in the patrol team then shot at one of the tires of the car Joseph was in.

    “One of his tyres was first blasted by one of the army officers. He quickly parked in a nearby street off the NPA Expressway to explain why he refused to be flagged down but the temper of one of the soldiers couldn’t make him wait for any explanations. He was then shot at close range by the trigger-happy army officer who refused to listen to any explanation.

    “Everybody around the murdered Joseph say good things about him. He had no history of criminality or violence. So sad that it wasn’t the Coronavirus that cut short this young life but a bullet from those who are enforcing the lockdown against the invisible virus,” the eyewitness said.

    When an army officer at the Effurun Barracks of the Nigerian Army was contacted, he simply said, “I am not in the position to talk about this. The issue filtered in, but I cannot ascertain the veracity of it.

    Also, the Commissioner of Police in the State, Mr. Mohammed Inuwa Hafiz did not take his calls when contacted, and at the time of filing in this report, no words have been received from him.

    TNG, however, gathered from a reliable source that the army officer responsible for the killing of Joseph has been apprehended and that the matter is being investigated to unravel what really happened.