Nnewi Cathedral Dispute Escalates as Controversial Catholic Knight Is Arrested Over 'Spiritual Cleansing' Parade

James Okoye, a highly controversial member of the Knights of St John International popularly known as "Akachaam," has been apprehended by local vigilante operatives in the commercial hub of Nnewi, Anambra State. Dressed in striking red overalls, carrying sacred palm fronds (Omu), and clanging a metal bell, Okoye’s public demonstration drew hundreds of onlookers, disrupting business activities before security agents intervened to restore order. The incident, caught on camera and widely circulated on social media, has sparked intense debates across the state regarding religious freedom, public order, and the socio-political climate of the region.

The dramatic descent into public mysticism follows Okoye's recent public renunciation of his Christian faith. During the highly publicized dedication of the Assumpta Cathedral in Nnewi, Okoye openly severed ties with the Catholic Church, a move that shocked the congregation. He vehemently accused the ecclesiastical authorities of deliberately failing to recognize the monumental financial and structural contributions of the late Senator Ifeanyi Ubah toward the cathedral's completion—a claim the diocese has since officially dismissed as unfounded and misleading.

According to circulating video footage and eyewitness accounts, Okoye was intercepted by local vigilante personnel while traversing major Nnewi roads, declaring that he was on a divine mission to cleanse the town of malevolent spirits. The local security operatives, acting on distress calls from perturbed residents who viewed his actions as a potential trigger for public disturbance, subjected Okoye to intense on-the-spot interrogation. Despite his insistence that his actions were peaceful and spiritually mandated, he was taken into custody pending further investigations by civil authorities.

While the Anambra State Police Command has yet to issue an official statement regarding formal charges, local sources indicate that Okoye is being held under suspicion of inciting public nuisance and conduct likely to cause a breach of peace. Observers note that the incident highlights a growing friction between traditional spiritual expressions and orthodox Christian structures in contemporary Igboland, especially when political sentiment is thrown into the mix.