Authorities of the Foursquare Gospel
Church, Abeokuta Street, Idimu, Lagos have denied that Marvelous Eghareva, a teenager who was alleged to have died after severe beating by a neighbour, Friday Obende, was a member of the church. SATURDAY PUNCH had in its March 12, 2011 issue reported the claim by a neighbour that Eghareva was assaulted by Obende within the church premises.
The neighbour had said, “We learnt Eghareva had gone to the church that night in company with her younger brother.
“Although I don’t know what must have started the altercation, I learnt she was beaten into a state of coma by Obende; it happened in the church and not when she was on her way home.”
A statement made available to SATURDAY PUNCH and signed by Rev. J. Ogedengbe, however, said, “Neither the late (Marvelous) Eghareva nor her family were members of the church before her untimely death.
“The late Eghareva was not beaten to a state of coma in Foursquare Gospel Church or in the premises of the church.”
Ogedengbe claimed that the publication was an attempt to rubbish the good image of the church.
He said, “There is only one Foursquare Gospel Church in Abeokuta Street and it occupies the ground floor of a three-storey building at No. 13 Abeokuta Street, Idimu. The church did not hold evening service that March 2, 2011, that the ugly incident took place.”
However, police documents made available to SATURDAY PUNCH showed that Eghareva fell into a state of coma after a severe beating by Obende on March 2. She was said to have died while being rushed to the hospital.
The Police Public Relations Officer, Lagos State Command, Mr. Samuel Jinadu, confirmed the incident.
“From the information available to me, Eghareva was assaulted within the premises of the Foursquare Gospel Church,” he said.
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