A lawyer has provided details on the swift apprehension of the individual responsible for the brutal murder of a pastor in Rivers State.
The victim, Isaiah Chidi, a clergyman with The Apostolic Church serving in Oyigbo Local Government Area, was attacked with a machete in February 2026 while returning home on a bicycle from local treatment for a swollen leg in his Ofeh community, Omuma Local Government Area.
The assailant, identified as his kinsman Chiwendu Nwalozie, inflicted multiple severe cuts on various parts of the pastor’s body, resulting in his death en route to medical care.
The incident occurred within their shared family compound, witnessed only by the victim’s young children, who alerted others for assistance.Following the attack, the suspect immediately fled the scene.
A coordinated 12-day manhunt, supported by community efforts and security agencies, traced him to Owerre-Nta in Isiala Ngwa South Local Government Area of Abia State, where he had been residing alone.
Mr. Nweke Njoku, a Port Harcourt-based lawyer representing the victim’s community and an indigene of Ofeh, confirmed the arrest.
The suspect reportedly confessed to the crime, admitting ownership of the weapon used, and has been handed over to the police for further investigation and prosecution.
The lawyer highlighted the suspect’s prior history of violence, including a previous machete attack on another family member, and noted possible underlying psychological concerns.
The community strongly condemned the act and focused on pursuing justice through legal channels rather than vigilantism, despite initial unrest that led to the destruction of the suspect’s residence.
This case underscores the importance of timely law enforcement intervention in ensuring accountability for such heinous crimes in the region.
