By George Onah
Port Harcourt – Three children of same parents have drowned in a church well in one of the popular new generation churches (names withheld) in Ikwerrengwo community, Etche local Government of Rivers State.

Vanguard gathered that the all male children, who were the only children of their parents, were playing with the children of the church’s pastor within the premises when their mother left for the market.

But shortly afterwards, an alarm was raised when all the three children were mysteriously found to have fallen into the well, even as none of the pastor’s children was affected, following which, the mother of the children was alerted in the market

On arrival, she was said to have called for assistance to rescue the children but was rebuffed and allegedly told by the pastor that “did I not tell you that your children are too stubborn”.

Although the police have arrested the pastor and some other suspects in connection with the matter, the father of the children Mr. Francis Onwuka said he suspected foul play over the death of Emmanuel 7years, Bob-Martins 5years and Patrick 3 years.

Pointers to the mystery surrounding the death of the children was the alleged suspicious object found in the home of Onwuka few days before the death of his children, also that the pastor fled his church for some days after the incident before he was captured.

.The children were said to have had an early morning devotion with their father in the church as he prepared to travel to Aba, Abia state. Onwuka, a trader, hails from Isiala Mbano Council, Imo State.

Confirming the incident Police PRO Ben Ugwuegbulam (an ASP) said the matter was being handled by the CID and that all those involved were being investigated and that further statement would be made when investigations were completed.

The corpses of the children have since been deposited in a morgue in Abia State awaiting burial at the completion of police investigations.