An alleged mentally unstable Anglican priest Rev Chukwunyere Ibezim set two Automated Teller Machines (ATM) belonging to Imo Microfinance Bank at Aba Branch on fire.
The reverend did not stop there as he also reportedly set his own motorcycle on fire before he was later overpowered by two security men.
Kingsley Chukwu, an eyewitness who spoke to Southern City said the incident happened on Friday.
“Rev. Chukwunyere Ibezim of St. Stephen’s Anglican Church, Ugiri in Isiala Mbano LGA is cooling off his heels in the police net for breaking into the bank in broad daylight with a gallon of fuel and setting the two installed ATMs on fire.
On noticing that people would go after him, he smartly ran out of the bank, set his own motorcycle on fire in a bid to scare people away and took to his heels.
A mob went after him and almost crushed him. It took the intervention of policemen from the Ehime Mbano Divisional Headquarters to save him from being lynched.
The sum of N100,000 was recovered from him. A new hammer was equally recovered from him. He came on a brand new motorcycle which he later set ablaze also,” Chukwu narrated.
Imo state Commissioner of Police, Chris Ezike, confirming the incident disclosed that medical tests conducted on the suspect showed he is mentally deranged and has been taken to a psychiatric hospital in Enugu.
