Those paraded include Bishop Bamidele Abraham of Eagle Kingdom Church, Lokoja and Pastors Chucks Ingalis Kelvin, Chinedu Okosisi, Samson Prince, Osita Chuckwu, Samuel Ike and Nnenanaya Anthony Ikechukwu. They were said to have come from Port Harcourt, Rivers State into Lokoja.
State Commissioner of Police, Muhammed Kastina who paraded the suspects said they were arrested while conducting ‘deliverance’ for people at a revival programme organised by one of them in Lokoja.
According to Muhammed, Bishop Bamidele who is the pastor-in-charge of Eagle Kingdom Church, Lokoja was said to have contacted Pastor Chuks from Port Har-court to help raise money for his book launch.
Sources said Chucks, who was an expert in such ventures came with members of his team, some of who acted like mermaid; deaf and dumb persons while others claimed to have been afflicted with other sicknesses during the revival to sway the sympathy of those in attendance.
However, a member of the congregation who felt uncomfortable with the way the pastors were conducting the deliverance, reported them to the police which moved in swiftly and arrested the suspects.
One of the suspects, Pastor Chuks, however defended his action saying, “This is not robbery, its pure professionalism. Every profession has its own way of surviving. The police have their own way, the lawyers have their own way; even you journalists have your own way; what I did is pure business and survival instinct.’’
Also, Pastor Osita Chukwu who posed as mermaid said she was promised N16, 000 while leaving Port Harcout to Lokoja but they only got N1, 000 pending the conclusion of the botched revival programme.
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