…From Dele Ogunyemi, Ibadan…
Three worshippers in a pentecostal Church, Mercyland Prayer Ministries, Alaro/Okoro area of Oke-itunu in Ibadan, Oyo State capital were burnt to death in the early hours of Monday as fire razed their church amidst a prayer session. Five others, including a pregnant woman named Sade Oyediran escaped death by the whiskers in the dawn fire which sources claimed to have started at about 2.00am.
Eye witness accounts revealed that the inferno which emanated from a room attached to the church rear spread towards the front axis of the church and eventually gutted the power generating set was already filled to capacity with petrol thus resulting in an explosion within the entire church premises.
The fire razed for over three hours and In the gory incident, the three worshippers comprising two men and a woman, were killed. The roof of the church and the entire wooden and plastic chairs were completely burnt.
Recounting his ordeal in the fire incident, one of the lucky survivors simply identified as Akin stated that the inferno caught everybody unawares adding that it took divine intervention for him escape and also to rescue one pregnant woman out of the thick smoke before heading for a nearby safe place..
“Some of the worshippers were sleeping when it occurred. Only God saved me and that is why I am still alive. The flame and the heavy smoke suddenly enveloped the church, thus resulting in the worshippers struggling for escape. But due to the heavy smoke, the three persons that died could not make it. I, with a few people, tried to rescue them but we were prevented from doing so by the smoke.”
Men of the Oyo State Fire Services,the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps and the Nigeria Police arrived the scene on time and mobilized forces in putting off of the fire at about 4.05am
But the entire vicinity was a gory sight as sympathizers wept uncontrollably as they sighted the three burnt bodies laid bare on the floor of the church.
Speaking with inquisitive newsmen on the incident, one of the clergymen of the Church, Pastor Samuel Tope Akinrodolu remarked that the police had taken away the Senior Pastor/ Founder of the Church , Pastor Joshua Oyediran to the station for interrogation .
“We are expecting him back any moment from now. But I felt the police should mobilise the removal of the dead bodies first before other things. All that happened is beyond my imagination . I left this place yesterday night to my resident up there. And I never dreamt of all this in my life .But it was very early in the morning that somebody told me that the church is on the fire and by the time I got here I am completely confused.”
Oyo State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), DSP Bisi Ilobanafor , while confirming the incident urged our correspondent to call her back to verify the arrest of the church founder by the police.