He Destr0yed His Father’s Ancestral Shrine — Hours Later, a Tr@gedy Shook His Community
A tr@gic incident reportedly occurred in Agbarho, Ughelli, Delta State, in September 2023, after a 31-year-old pastor, identified as Alexi Teder, allegedly att@cked a woman and her young daughter, leaving the child de@d.
Teder, a graduate who reportedly founded Wellspring of God Ministry in Agbarho, was said to have been passionate about building a successful ministry and becoming a prominent preacher in Nigeria.
However, accounts of the incident suggest that he had been involved in a serious disagreement with his father over traditional religious practices, particularly an ancestral shrine maintained by his father in their family compound.
According to the circulating account, Teder reportedly considered the shrine an evil influence that conflicted with his Christian beliefs and ministerial ambitions.
The incident allegedly began on September 21, 2023, when he borrowed a cutlass from a neighbour under the pretext of using it for farm or household activities.
He reportedly took the cutlass to his father’s compound, where he destroyed the ancestral shrine and its contents.
However, events took a tragic turn in the early hours of September 22.
Teder was said to have locked himself inside his room around 3 a.m. and engaged in an intense prayer session. Neighbours reportedly noticed unusual sounds and behaviour coming from his room.
The account further claimed that he later emerged with the same cutlass and headed towards a neighbouring house occupied by a woman and her young daughter, who were reportedly members of his church.
He allegedly forced his way into the house and attacked the occupants. The young girl reportedly died during the incident, while her mother witnessed the horrifying attack.
The woman’s ordeal was made even more painful by reports that she had recently lost her husband.
Residents were said to have raised the alarm after hearing screams, with news of the incident quickly spreading across the community.
When confronted, Teder allegedly behaved in an unusual manner, reportedly dropping to the ground and rolling around. His conduct prompted some residents to link the incident to the destruction of his father’s shrine.
However, such claims represented community interpretations and did not establish any spiritual explanation for the tragedy or his alleged actions.
Angry residents reportedly descended on the pastor’s church premises, vandalising the property and setting parts of it on fire. There were also reports that an enraged crowd threatened to lynch him.
The situation was eventually brought under control following a heavy downpour and the arrival of police officers, who reportedly rescued Teder from the crowd and took him into custody.
Meanwhile, the remains of the young victim were reportedly taken to a morgue, leaving her mother and other family members devastated.
The incident generated disturbing questions about the circumstances surrounding the alleged attack, particularly given the reported disagreement over traditional religious practices shortly before the tragedy.
Although some residents reportedly interpreted the events through the lens of traditional spirituality, no such explanation should be treated as an established fact.
The central tragedy remains the reported death of a young girl, the suffering of her family and the shock experienced by residents of Agbarho.
The account also highlights the dangers of religious intolerance, violence and the spread of unverified explanations surrounding criminal incidents. Allegations and community interpretations should be distinguished from facts established through police investigations or judicial proceedings.