•Late Bishop Shina Olaribigbe
An Osun State-based clergy, Bishop Shina Olaribigbe of Rapture Empowerment International, Osogbo, was in the early hours of yesterday stabbed to death while settling a fight between a couple.
Although details about the couple involved were not immediately available, security sources hinted to our correspondent that the woman fighting her husband was attending Olaribigbe’s church located around BCGA Area, where she served as an interpreter.
It was also learnt that the couple had a history of incessant fights, which made them live apart, even though they were not officially divorced, reports The PUNCH.
The cause of the latest fight was however not known, but the late Olaribigbe, it was learnt, always mediated in their fights.
It was also gathered that the husband had gone to his wife’s residence in the early hours of yesterday and met Olaribigbe in the room, which infuriated him.
A source who attends Olaribigbe’s church, and craved anonymity for security reasons, admitted to our correspondent that, “It was in that anger that the man took a knife and stabbed the clergy in the chest. He died immediately. Olaribigbe had gone to the house to see the woman, who had been sick for some time.
“The man and his wife were immediately arrested and taken to the Dugbe Police Division in Osogbo, where they are currently being detained.
“The remains of Olaribigbe had been deposited at the morgue of UNIOSUN Teaching Hospital, Osogbo.”
While speaking with our correspondent, the Osun Police Command Public Relations Officer, Yemisi Opalola, confirmed the incident.
Opalola said, “They are a couple but not living together. They are not separated by law yet. The Pastor (Shina Olaribigbe) used to settle the fight between the couple.
“We were told the pastor was at the wife’s place today when the estranged husband got there. We were also told the husband stabbed the pastor. We were also told the deceased was on the wife’s bed when the incident happened.
“The husband stabbed him several times and he died. It was learnt the husband acted on the suspicion that the pastor was sleeping with the woman.”
Meanwhile, grief-stricken friends and acquaintances of the clergy flocked his Facebook page to mourn him.
One of them, Oyeleye Isaac, wrote on the page of the deceased, “BREAKING AND VERY SAD NEWS, WE LOST ONE OF OUR HEROES, Bishop Dr Olaribigbe Greatness. Why! Why! Why?”
Another Facebook user, Mr Bimbo, in a post, wrote, “You called to wish me Happy Birthday yesterday.”
