Allegation of faking miracles to defraud unsuspecting church members and the public has hit a Pentecostal church in Benin City.
An aggrieved member of the gang performing and staging fake miracles for the ministry reported himself and the church to the police in state capital.
Operatives of the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Police Command headquarters, Benin City have swiftly launched investigation into the case.
Dependable sources at the state police command headquarters revealed that the founder and general overseer of the ministry (name withheld) have been invited and quizzed.
He was said to have alleged that the self-proclaimed evangelist own him N48,000.00 being his agreed fee for sitting in a wheelchair as a cripple for six days before he received his ‘healing’ during the church deliverance programme, recently.
It was further gathered that the man, who now serves as a complainant and suspect also alleged that the evangelist bought him a ram for thanksgiving in the church.
He added that the preacher collected from him a suite he presented to him as the church gift, in front of the congregation, shortly after he gave his false testimony.
When our reporter approached the complainant at the police command headquarters in Benin City, he stated that he wanted to use the money to buy drugs as he is on medication.
“It was N8,000.00 per day, the programme was six days, he collected the suite from me and gave it to another person”. The complainant told our reporter.
He was however prevented from giving further details by a police officer who said “the matter is still under investigation”.
SUNDAY OBSERVER visits to the church on The Limit Road, Off Sapele Road, Benin City revealed large congregation of worshippers, most of whom appeared hypnotized and desperate miracle seekers.
Some members in their various chats with our reporter maintained that “since God used our daddy (the General Overseer) to deliver a woman who carried a horse in her womb for several years, deliverance has not ceased here. Just sow a seed in the church and watch out for your miracle”.
Others however stated that the membership of the ministry has considerably dwindled as some members left the church when they felt conned or did not receive their expected miracle.
Penultimate Sunday, the evangelist told the congregation “run to the altar with your tithe, it will turn to alligator pepper in your pockets if you go home with it”, during second service when our reporter visited.
Old and young in the church quickly rushed to meet their embattled evangelist on the altar in response to the threat.
Photographs taken by our reporter inside the church was asked to be deleted by officials of the church led by the protocol officer who said photos were strictly restricted in the church.
Several attempts to obtain comments from the founder and General Overseer of the deliverance ministry failed as a lady who claimed to be the Public Relations Officer for the church said “journalists always work with rumours”.
Contacted, the Public Relations Officer for Edo State Police Command SP Osifo Abiodun stated that “the case has been transferred”.
