By Daniel Oluwatobiloba Popoola
A United States administrator of Zion Prayer Movement Outreach, Chinweike Obiozor, was allegedly stoned to death in Awommama, Imo State, following a heated argument over the ministry’s leadership crisis in the US, 9News Nigeria reports.
The incident occurred on Sunday, 30 August, 2026 capping a prolonged leadership dispute within the ministry’s US branches. Obiozor, who served as the ministry’s administrator for the Maryland and Washington, D.C. area, died after he was allegedly struck on the head with a stone during an altercation in the community, located in Oru East Local Government Area.
He was also said to be a relative of the late Professor George Obiozor, Nigeria’s former ambassador to the United States and former President-General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide.
The incident occurred after Obiozor and other members of the ministry returned to their hometown following the conclusion of Zion Ministry’s 2026 World Conference at Zion City in Ngor Okpala, Imo State.
The three-day gathering, held from 21st to 23rd August, marked the end of the ministry’s annual 100-day fasting and prayer programme and drew worshippers from Nigeria and several other countries.
Behind the spiritual gathering, however, was a disagreement that had reportedly troubled the ministry’s North American operations for some time.
According to an account published by 247Ureports, members of the ministry’s US leadership had been divided by allegations concerning finances, administrative appointments and the management of some branches.
The claims, which have not been independently verified, reportedly created opposing factions among officials and congregants, while attempts by the ministry’s Spiritual Director, Evangelist Chukwuebuka Anozie Obi, to intervene before the conference were said not to have fully resolved the dispute.
The disagreement reportedly followed the officials to Awommama after the conference.
According to the report, Obiozor was confronted by Dr Loveline Nzeakor Bealose, a Maryland-based nurse practitioner also identified as an administrator of the ministry’s Washington, D.C. branch. Bealose was said to have arrived with some women and challenged Obiozor over the allegations relating to the US operations.
What began as a heated exchange allegedly degenerated into a physical confrontation, during which Bealose allegedly picked up a heavy stone and struck Obiozor on the head.
He reportedly sustained severe injuries and died before he could receive life-saving treatment.
The circumstances surrounding the confrontation, including the roles allegedly played by those present, remain unclear.
News of Obiozor’s death has unsettled residents of Awommama and members of Zion Ministry, particularly those in its diaspora branches.
Community leaders and representatives of the deceased’s family have called on the Imo State Police Command to conduct a thorough investigation into the confrontation, insisting that everyone found to have participated in the alleged assault be brought to justice, irrespective of their position or relationship with the ministry.
As of the time of filing this report, the Imo State Police Command had not publicly released details of any arrest or formally confirmed the account surrounding Obiozor’s death, while Zion Prayer Movement Outreach had also not issued an official statement on the killing or the reported leadership crisis within its US branches.
Sources: 9newsNigeria and 247Ureports
