Pastor Princewill Ikenna
By Victory Oghene
The younger brother of Pastor Princewill Ikenna, a 30-year-old youth leader of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), who was murdered on September 3, 2022, in circumstances that have shaken both faith and trust in the justice system, Ernest Onyeka, has narrated how his brother was murdered and his car found in the possession of another pastor.
Onyeka said justice has been derailed by judicial delays, suspicious rulings, and the release of key suspects on questionable “health grounds.”
In a viral video seen by NATIONAL WAVES, Onyeka, accused the Cross River judiciary of frustrating the case. He urged Governor Bassey Edet Otu, Attorney General Ededem Charles Ani, and Chief Judge Justice Akon Bassey Ikpeme to intervene before the case fades into silence.
Filed at the Calabar High Court under Justice Joshua Ashe Ewah, the case once appeared airtight — with arrests, confessions, and forensic evidence, including three bullets removed from Princewill’s skull. But after three adjourned hearings, the family’s lawyer was suddenly informed of a date change just two days before the next session, leaving no time to prepare.
He added that Justice Ewah granted bail to the lead suspect, Lagos-based Pastor Peter Uchenna, and another accused person, citing “health reasons.” Days later, video footage surfaced showing Uchenna energetically preaching in his Lagos church — seemingly healthy and active.
“It’s been over two years now, and we’ve not gotten justice,” Onyeka said in a viral clip. “This judge released Pastor Peter on health grounds. That same week, we saw him preaching in church. How is that justice?” He lamented repeated adjournments, the judge’s six-month leave, and what he called a deliberate effort to stall the trial. “The judiciary in Cross River State has failed us. Today it’s Princewill — tomorrow it could be anybody.”
Onyeka said “Princewill Ikenna, 30, a youth pastor with the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) and originally from Anambra State, was preparing for his wedding when tragedy struck.
“On September 3, 2023, he stepped out for a routine haircut in Ikom — and never returned. When he failed to attend church the next morning, his worried mother visited his home, only to learn he hadn’t been seen overnight. The family rushed to the Ikom Police Station to file a missing person’s report but were told to wait 24 hours.
‘The following day, horror struck. Onyeka received a call from his father: “Come to Grassfield and identify one corpse.” When they arrived, they found Princewill’s lifeless body, riddled with three bullet wounds to the head — murdered in what police later described as a violent carjacking. His Lexus RX 350 SUV was gone.
“While I was going through his late brother’s belongings, I found documents showing the SUV had a tracking device. Contacting the company, he was stunned to learn the car was in Lagos — hundreds of kilometers away.
” I and my uncle immediately traveled to Lagos. Guided by the tracker, they located the SUV at a panel-beating shop in Meiran, where it was being repainted to disguise its identity. Police from Meiran Division arrested the mechanic, who quickly named Lagos-based Pastor Peter Uchenna Chinwagba as the person who brought in the vehicle.
When Uchenna arrived at the station, he claimed the Lexus was a “gift” from an unnamed church member — a story officers rejected. “Even if you’re the president, you’d remember who gave you a car,” one investigator reportedly told him.
Uchenna’s wife tried to provide an alibi, claiming he was preaching in Lagos on September 4, but inconsistencies emerged. The case was escalated to the Lagos State Police Command and later transferred to Cross River, with Zone 6 Police Headquarters in Calabar taking over the investigation.
Under interrogation in Calabar, Uchenna reportedly confessed to being in Ikom, invited by local Pastor Kingsley for a church event. After the program, he, Kingsley, and two others — Elvis Ntwi and Barry — allegedly ambushed Princewill. Uchenna admitted witnessing the murder, claiming Elvis fired the fatal shots before they fled to Lagos with the stolen vehicle.
An autopsy confirmed three bullets as evidence. The suspects were charged with murder and armed robbery under the supervision of DSP Ibe Dennis. But instead of swift justice, the case unraveled — marked by postponements, judicial leave, and controversial bail rulings.
Today, the accused men — Uchenna, Kingsley, Ntwi, and Barry — are reportedly free, preaching, running businesses, and living openly, while Princewill’s family continues their fight for justice.
In a twist of event, the gruesome murder of Pastor Princewill in Ikom, Cross River State, has finally reached the ears of government authorities after months of anguish, unanswered questions, and what they call a slow march toward justice.
In a decisive move, the Cross River State Government announced that there would be “no more delays” in the case. The state directed the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) to immediately take over the matter, ensuring that the trial proceeds with transparency and speed.
A government statement reaffirmed the administration’s commitment to justice:
“The pain of the family is understandable. The government has directed the DPP to assume full responsibility for prosecution to avoid any further procedural delay. Justice must not only be done — it must be seen to be done.”
Officials have also instructed all investigative agencies and relevant ministries to cooperate fully with the DPP’s office.
For many in Cross River, the case has become a test of the state’s criminal justice system — andn of faith itself. How could a pastor who dedicated his life to saving souls end up a victim of such violence? And why did the system struggle to deliver justice for so long?
Watch video below
