Pastor Gives Followers Indian Hemp In Imo – “It Allows For Sober Reflection”, He Says
A church pastor has been arrested in Imo state in connection with a kidnapping case and also for possession of Indian hemp.
General overseer of Divine Justice Church, Owerri, Imo State, Pastor Clement Ezeigbo, who is currently cooling his heels in the police Anti Kidnap Unit of the state police command, told the police: “I don’t know anything about kidnapping but I am the owner of the Indian hemp (Igbo) but the good thing is that I don’t smoke it but I use it to prepare my food. I enjoy eating food prepared with Indian hemp.”
“I don’t think there is anything wrong when you use Indian hemp to prepare your food; it gives inspiration and it makes one have sober reflection and that is why I recommend it to my Church members.
I use to preach to my members against smoking it but I encourage them to cook their food with hemp. “Some of my members do prepare some delicacies with it, which they serve me. I love Indian hemp because after eating Indian hemp, it gives me inspiration, then when I mount the pulpit, you will notice the efficacy of hemp.” Explaining what brought him to the police, he told CrimeWatch that “on the fateful day, I was in my Church, praying when the police stormed the place, claiming they were looking for some kidnappers, who used to hide their victims near my Church. I told them that I was not aware of the hideouts of kidnappers.
You see, it was while searching my Church that they saw the Indian hemp. Well, I did not deny ownership of the hemp, it belongs to me; I love it.”
When he was confronted by Crime- Watch whether it was right for a man of God to indulge in using Indian hemp, he said: “Let any man show me where it was written in the bible that thou should not cook with Indian hemp.”
The state Commissioner of Police, Mr. Mohammed Katsina, told CrimeWatch that some kidnappers were living beside the Church. He said some victims were rescued by the police, who stormed the scene. Katsina said the pastor and other accomplices took to their heels on sighting the police. He said the police were able to arrest the pastor.
According to him, when a search was conducted on the Church premises, a bundle of Indian hemp was recovered. The CP added that the police were on the trail of the runaway kidnappers, who escaped arrest.
