03/07/2026
*List of pastors involved in kidnappings and other crimes.*
Nigerian Christians are all over the place in euphoria that the police have denied arresting a pastor was involved in the Orire kidnapping of school children.
Many of them tagged me on the story and insisted that their clerics never involve in crimes. I was dumbfounded that actually the Christians seemed not to be aware of how much pastors and other Christian leaders are involved in most of the violence and insecurity situation we are having in this country.
Seeing that they are so dumb, I intend to shake them back to their senses and show them that this was not the first time pastors are involved in such heinous acts.
Enjoy:š¤£š¤£š¤£
1- March 2012: A pastor with the Kunini Deeper Life Bible Church in Taraba State was arrested by the military (the 23 Armoured Brigade, Yola) for her involvement in a gunrunning syndicate and for allegedly transporting fi****ms concealed in sacks of garri.
2- June 2020: The resident pastor of Christ Holy Church in Asaba, Delta State, was arrested after the police discovered six ri**es in an uncompleted building on the church premises, which he was allegedly using to harbor an armed vigilante group.
3- October 2022: A 58-year-old pastor and founder of a Pentecostal church in the Olodo area of Oyo State was arrested alongside members of his gang for an illegal arms deal. Police recovered 350 live cartridges in his possession.
4- February 2023: Pastor Uche Aigbe of the Abuja chapter of the House on the Rock Church was arrested after preaching a Sunday sermon while carrying an AK-47. He, along with the police officer who supplied the weapon and the church's head of security, was detained and prosecuted.
5- January 2025: A prominent Catholic Reverend Father was arrested in Jos, Plateau State, by the Nigeria Police Forceās Intelligence Response Team (IRT) for allegedly operating as a key figure in a gun-running syndicate supplying weapons to bandits.
6- Last two weeks a pastor was paraded by the police for his involvement in kidnappings in IMO state.
7- Pastor Caleb Agu (Imo State): In a widely publicized 2020 operation, the Nigerian police dismantled a notorious kidnapping syndicate in the Uba-Agwa community. Alongside the local traditional ruler who led the gang, police arrested Pastor Caleb Agu, who served as the gang's "spiritual father," offering them prayers and charms ahead of their criminal operations.
8- Pastor Albarka Sukuya (Jos, Plateau State): In late 2022, the Plateau State Police Command arrested Pastor Sukuya. He staged his own kidnapping on multiple occasions. He successfully defrauded his congregation out of N600,000 in ransom money before his scheme was uncovered.
9- Pastor Sanmori Joshua (Ondo City, Ondo State): In 2024, the Ondo State Police Command detained Pastor Joshua and his wife, Taiwo, for staging the wife's abduction. The couple attempted to extort an N10 million ransom from their relatives living abroad. Operatives tracked them down and found the wife hiding in a room in their house.
10- Pastor Anifowose David (Ondo Town, Ondo State): In July 2022, police stormed The Whole Bible Deliverance Church following intense complaints from local parents. Authorities rescued 77 peopleāincluding 26 childrenāwho had been kept in the church basement. The assistant pastor had told the congregation that the "Rapture" was imminent, prompting many young members to abandon school and their homes to live permanently in the church.
11- Pastor Inyangbe (Cross River State): There are also isolated cases where individuals acting as clergymen have actively participated in tracking victims. For instance, police have previously paraded independent, self-styled prophets who used their proximity to wealthy families to tip off kidnappers regarding ransom capabilities.
Picture: Pastor of Christ Holy Church, Mr Fidelis Nwansa, who was arrested over alleged gun-running in Delta state.
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