23-Year-Old Trying to Preach at Cross River Governor’s Residence Killed by Policeman Who Insists He Acted in Self-Defence
The officer accused of killing Onyekachi claimed the young preacher stoned him after being chased away, then, in self-defence, he shot him.
In an attempt to evangelise at the Cross River State Governor’s residence, a 23-year-old man was shot in the leg. Delayed medical treatment resulted in the loss of his life days later. Finding the gruesome act unacceptable, the deceased’s family demands justice, accusing security officers of brutality, cover-up, and bribery attempts. But the officer who allegedly committed the assault has said he acted in self-defence. Sofiyyat Lawal reports.
On August 1, 2025, tragedy struck at the private residence of the Cross River State Governor, Bassey Otu, when a 23-year-old preacher, Onyekachi Moses Mba, was shot by security officers while attempting to share what he described as a vision for the state.
Onyekachi had gone to the residence on the instructions of his pastor, Apostle Samuel Thomas. According to the family, he was denied entry, and after heated exchanges with the officers, he was beaten and shot in the leg. The incident happened around 11 am, yet he was not taken to the hospital until 7 pm, only after the intervention of the United Nations Red Cross. The family alleged that the delay, which they linked to the officers’ attempt to investigate who sent him, resulted in excessive blood loss.
The wounded preacher underwent surgery on August 4, which lasted over five hours, and was transfused with five pints of blood. Despite these efforts, he remained unconscious, placed on oxygen, and eventually died on August 9 from complications of what doctors described as “internal bleeding.”
His mother, Victoria Mba, recalled his account of what transpired before his death. “My son went to the Governor’s residence to share a vision for Cross River State, but was denied entry. After much argument, they beat him like a criminal even when he had no weapon, then shot him in the leg.”
Victoria alleged that security operatives monitored her son in the hospital, disguising themselves as patients, and treated him as though he were a criminal. “They said the state government is interested in the case. They told us the governor does not want him to die, that the governor wants to have an interaction with him to find out if he came on his own or was sent by someone,” she said.
The family further alleged threats and attempts at a cover-up. “They started calling us and threatening us, saying we want to use the boy to shine. The names of some policemen who called me are Emmanuel Dickson, Eso Obasi, and one Etiaba,” Victoria said. She added that some officers even visited the morgue without family consent.
Meanwhile, a few days later, after the death of Onyekachi, another officer allegedly offered the bereaved N5 million as compensation, but the mother rejected it. “I want to hear from the people who killed my son. I have not heard their side of the story, and they are offering money. Is that not suspicious?” she asked.
The matter has also implicated Apostle Thomas, who is currently in custody at Zone 6, Calabar. Victoria said her son was deeply influenced by the cleric. “Before the incident, we suspected that my son was being brainwashed by this pastor. We warned him, but he wouldn’t listen. Most of the time, he informed this pastor about every step he wanted to take.” She added that her son admitted the pastor directed him to the governor’s house, as he did not know the location.
The family petitioned for the officers involved to be identified and prosecuted, but their demand has faced resistance. “We wrote a petition to the AIG Zone 6, and he demanded that the officers should be released to them, but no one honoured the invitation. The legal way is not giving results, and that is why I turned to the media. I’ve been crying silently within, but it is not helping me,” Victoria said.
The Zone 6 Police Public Relations Officer, Deputy Superintendent of Police Osupe Jefferson, confirmed to PIJAlance that Apostle Thomas is in custody under the XSQUAD unit but declined to address the case further. He directed our correspondent to visit the department. Attempts to get comments from the Cross River State Police Command were unsuccessful. The spokesperson, SP Irene Ugbo, attached to the Command, ended our correspondent’s call once the subject was raised. Multiple calls thereafter were unreachable.
The state government, however, acknowledged the incident. Commissioner of Information, Erasmus Ekpang, told PIJAlance that Governor Otu extended condolences to the bereaved family and ordered the arrest of Inspector Victor Bassey, the officer accused of shooting Onyekachi. He said the officer claimed self-defence, alleging that the preacher stoned him after being chased away. The government condemned the conduct and clarified that the governor had not visited the private residence where the incident happened in over two years.
“The incident did not happen in government housing; it happened in the state housing estate close to my residence. The governor has not visited the place in about two years. The governor has condoled with the family and condemned the officer’s action through a press release,” Ekpang said.
He added that security footage of the event exists, but would not be released unless the state media team approved.
Meanwhile, the MBA family insists on justice. “I cannot bury my son without justice. They are trying to cover up the matter, but I want to hear from those who killed him. My son was unarmed and only went to preach the gospel,” Victoria said.
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Sofiyyat Lawal
Sofiyyat is a seasoned journalist from Ibadan. She covers government procurement and key community and social issues.