WARRI – Tragedy struck at the weekend, in a ‘miracle center church’, popularly known Mercyland Deliverance ministries in Effurun, Uvwie local government Area of Delta State, when a 10 year old boy and two other women reportedly died mysteriously.

NIGERIAN OBSERVER gathered that the dead boy whose name was given as Emmanuel Odili, was found dead Saturday in a canal dug around the church after being declared missing Friday when he reportedly visited the popular miracle church to see his mother who was there for deliverance prayers.

While the women, identified as Mrs. Beatrice Nwachukwu from Imo state and Antonio Abba (Kano state) reportedly died during the deliverance session same Saturday the corpse of Emmanuel was found and body deposited in a morgue.

Although the Delta State Police Command through the Public Relations Officer, DSP Andrew Aniamaka yesterday confirmed the death of three persons in mysterious circumstances, saying “Three people actually died. We heard one was through drowning. The other two also died in the church. Investigations are ongoing”

However, Spokesman for the church, Godday Emiko, in denial said, “there is nothing like that”.

It was further gathered that there has been claims and counterclaims as regards the health status of Emmanuel while the case was being filed at the Ebremede Police Station as the church claimed he was mentally ill while his family said he arrived the church sane and healthy until his sudden disappearance after only stepping in the to visit his mother who was there for prayers.

The police source added that, “While the matter of the boy was still being sorted out, people ran down to the station to report sudden collapse and death of Mrs Nwachukwu. Later, some others came again to report of another death of the man from Kano, Antonio.

“These two died at intervals Saturday during the prayer session. They were trying to link Mrs Nwachukwu’s death to a high blood pressure, but her husband claimed nothing was wrong with his wife before they arrived the church.”

Attempts to reach the Ijaw born founder and General-Overseer of the Christ Mercyland Deliverance Ministries, Prophet Jeremiah Omoto-Fufeyin, popularly known as “Warri TB Joshua” for comment were unsuccessful as his mobile phone number could not be reached.