Rev. Father Mbaka Accused Of Assaulting BBC Journalist

Rev. Father Ejike Mbaka the Spiritual Director of Adoration Ministry in Enugu, southeast Nigeria, has been accused of assaulting a team of BBC journalists who visited his residence for an interview on Wednesday.

AllNews Nigeria understands that the journalists identified as Chioma Obianinwa and Nnamdi Agbanelo were reportedly attacked by Father Mbaka and some men at his residence over a “negative” reportage about the priest.

Both journalists, accompanied by one Cajethan Obiekezie, also a Catholic priest, were said to have visited the AMEN prayer ground in Enugu for a scheduled interview, they, however, moved to his residence as the church service lasted longer than expected and while waiting in their car, they were reportedly surrounded by about 20 men.

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“Mbaka asked us to wait until the end of the programme for the interview. The men outside his house said BBC Igbo writes negative things about Mbaka and started beating Nnamdi, Solomon, and Ndubuisi,” the reporter said.

“They gave them heavy blows on their heads and all over their body.”

Obiekezie, who had entered Father Mbaka’s house, came out with the priest but the latter reportedly joined in the attack, describing Obianinwa as “satanic.”

“This fired up the men to continue the attacks as Father Mbaka continued shouting and abusing us. He asked his men to seize our phones and cameras,” she was quoted to have said.

“They said they would kill us and nothing would happen. They removed my wig and tried to strangle Nnamdi. Father Obiekezie was telling them to stop but they attacked him too and seized his phone.

“At this point, Father Mbaka asked us to leave before his men killed us. He asked them to return our equipment and they chased us out of the compound. His men trailed us till we left the state to seek medical assurance and police help.”

Father Mbaka Reacts

Father Mbaka’s spokesman, Maximus Ugwoke, says he doubts if the BBC story of an alleged beating of its journalists in Rev. Fr. Ejike Mbaka’s compound was true.

Speaking to Vanguard on Thursday evening, Ugwoke said he just learnt about the development but has not heard from Mbaka, “I doubt if it’s true. Fr couldn’t have done that kind of a thing. Is this the first time he granted interviews to journalists?”

He continued, “Well, I just got to hear about the story this evening that they are peddling around. I do not preview these things and I am not aware that it happened. What I am doing now is to find out if such a thing happened. Until I reach father before I would know if such a thing happened.

 “I just went through the story and I know that father cannot do that kind of a thing, he cannot. Father cannot do that kind of a thing, doesn’t father grant interview to the press? He cannot do that kind of a thing the way they described it there.”