Members of Living Faith Church popularly called Winners Chapel in the Imo State branch had good luck (not President Jonathan) on Saturday night after a bomb planted in the church premises by suspected members of Boko Haram was discovered before it could cause damage by detonating.
The state Commissioner of Police, Mr Abdulmajid Ali, on Sunday, said six persons had been arrested in connection with two improvised explosive devices (IEDs) planted in the church.
It was gathered that the incident occurred at about 8.00 p.m on Saturday, when residents of the town were indoors, watching the ongoing World Cup in Brazil.
Sources said security men in the church noticed suspicious movements in the area and, apparently worried as a result of the development, immediately alerted the senior pastor of the church and security personnel in the state.
The police, it was gathered, immediately contacted some other security agencies, including the soldiers, to effect the arrest of the six suspected suicide bombers who had already planted one of the bombs with them at the entrance of the church.
While being interrogated, the suspects confessed that they were in Owerri to bomb five churches in the state.
The usual 7.00 a.m church service of Winners Chapel, as a result of the development, was shifted to Hero Square, near Concorde Hotel.
Speaking with newsmen on the church premises, Ali said the “two timed bombs” were planted on the church premises by unknown persons.
According to the police commissioner, the command was alerted to the strange objects in the church compound which immediately deployed its anti-bomb squad.
“We are happy that the squad immediately detonated the bomb on arrival and six persons have been arrested so far,” he said.
