Lagos: EFCC, Police Arrest Pastor Over Scam
Lagos: EFCC, Police Arrest Pastor Over Scam
Samuel Mayowa
November 5, 2018
Security operatives have arrested Lagos Pentecostal pastor, Prophet Cletus Chukwunweuba Ilongwo of the Power of Holy Ghost Evangelical Ministry a.k.a Tuesday Tuesday Church, over an alleged scam leveled against him by some members of the church and the community.
The arrest, made over the weekend, was a joint effort consisting of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, and Policemen in the area.
Vanguard disclosed that the Police and EFCC had earlier this year, arrested the Pastor, who is already on trial, after a former church member reported the clergyman for defrauding him of N85 million, an allegation that made him lose his bank job.
It was learnt that Prophet Ilongwo jumped bail after his initial interrogation. His arrest became necessary, following fruitless efforts to invite the pastor to the commission, not until his surety’s arrest last week whom he had left to languish in custody.
It was also gathered that the agents were confronted by security agents with dangerous weapons by some church members, leading to the use of force to gain access to the church premises before arresting him in one of the rooms in the church.
Further allegations by community members reveal that hoodlums and bodyguards attached to the prophet have subjected them to intimidation, harassment and assault, and calls made to the police to nip their nefarious activities in the bud failed.
However, wild jubilations engulfed the community as residents who had been complaining over the prophet’s activities extolled the agents following his apprehension.
Reports also say the suspect had been moved and detained at the Ikoyi EFCC office where he was taken to the Ikeja High Court to answer charges against him.
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