The Anambra State High Court sitting in Awka has remanded eight self-acclaimed pastors in correctional custody over their alleged involvement in staging fake miracles to defraud unsuspecting members of the public.
The clerics were arraigned on Friday as part of an ongoing crackdown by the Anambra State Government under the administration of Chukwuma Charles Soludo on what it described as organised religious fraud and public deception.
The defendants include Ndubisi Nnachukwu, Ekeleme Chris Ugochukwu, Emeka Nwamkpa, Peter Chukwu, Chinedu Egwuonwu, Ebele Nnachukwu, Miracle Iruoma and Chukwukadibia Ogwuama, all linked to different ministries across the state.
They are facing charges bordering on obtaining by false pretence, fraudulent misrepresentation and the use of religious platforms to perpetrate deception.
According to the prosecution, the accused allegedly recruited individuals to act as fake beneficiaries of miraculous healings and deliverance during church services. These staged performances were reportedly recorded and circulated on social media to attract followers and boost financial donations.
The state Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Tobechukwu Nweke, who is leading the prosecution, said the action was part of broader efforts to curb “spiritual exploitation” and protect vulnerable citizens.
He disclosed that the case is supported by digital evidence, including video recordings and alleged confessional statements obtained from the defendants, which have been tendered before the court.
The Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Osagie Christian Aburime, confirmed that the court ordered the remand of the suspects after their arraignment and adjourned the case to June 15, 2026, for hearing of bail applications.
The suspects were charged under relevant provisions of the Anambra State Homeland Security Law, 2025, as well as the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud-Related Offences Act.
Authorities further alleged that some of the clerics operated with agents who recruited participants for the staged miracles, thereby creating a network designed to manipulate public belief and extort money from worshippers.
Nweke was quoted as saying that the prosecution was not only aimed at punishing fraud but also at safeguarding citizens from exploitation under the guise of religion.
“This is about protecting the public from those who weaponise faith for profit,” he said, adding that similar actions were being taken against native doctors and other individuals engaged in deceptive practices.
The case marks a significant phase in the enforcement of the state’s homeland security law, introduced to tackle crimes such as kidnapping, internet fraud and ritual-related activities.
While the government insists the exercise is targeted at criminal elements hiding under religious and traditional practices, critics have raised concerns over possible infringement on religious freedom.
Despite the backlash, the state government maintained that the crackdown is not directed at legitimate religious worship but at individuals allegedly using spirituality as a cover for fraud and criminal activities.
FOLLOW US
FOR MORE HERE
More details here…
