The pastor, who was in his 60s, was resting in his bedroom at the pipeline area of MTN Road, around noon., when the assailant barged into his flat and threatened his two children, ages eight and 11, who were in the sitting room. The terrified children ran out of the house and raised an alarm for help.
A source, who claimed to be part of those who took Pastor Sagie remains to the mortuary and his neighbour told Vanguard that the area was isolated and had few houses.
He said they heard the children screaming that someone was inside, attacking their father with a machete.
“We ran out and saw the attacker. He was a young man in his 20s. He threatened us that if we dared to climb the storey building to meet him, he would kill us. He then jumped from the storey building and fled,” the source who simply called her name as Nneka said.
The source added that the children identified the attacker as a member of their church.
“The children told us he was a member of their church and that they recognize him. They even described where he lived,” the source said.
Pastor Sagie was said to have sustained severe cuts on his head and died on the way to the hospital. “He breathed his last on the way to the hospital where his car broke down,” another neighbour named Isaac said.
When Vanguard visited the scene, the police were seen cordoning off the area and conducting investigations.
The police spokesperson, Bright Edafe, could not be reached for confirmation of the incident but a source told Vanguard that the police were on the trail of the suspect.
“We are yet to know the motive behind the attack, but the police would unravel it soon,” the security source who craved anonymous said.
He appealed with anyone with useful information that could lead to the arrest of the suspect to contact the nearest police station.
He also urged residents of Sapele to remain calm and law-abiding, assuring them that justice would be done in the case.
Pastor Sagie was described by his church members as a humble and dedicated man of God, who preached peace and love.
