A pastor, Dr. Owen Abraham, has allegedly absconded with 52 phones, money and other valuables of worshippers that attended a crusade he organised at Aponrin in Agbowo area of Ibadan, Oyo State.
According to some of his victims, he told them that he was led by God to come to Ibadan from The Gambia for the crusade.
Abraham, on the last day of the three-day crusade, claimed that the Holy Spirit directed him to tell people to hand in their phones and valuables, only to later abscond with them.
A victim, who recounted her ordeal, said many widows went for the crusade because the said pastor promised to give each person a bag of rice and money, adding that Abraham also promised to empower students with scholarship.
The widow, said: “The pastor approached an Igbo lady in our area to assist him to gather widows and students, saying he wanted to help us.
“Someone in my area invited me for the crusade. He wore pastor regalia. He said he will buy a house for one of us and that the house will be fully furnished.
“He promised some people that attended the crusade money. Even politicians cannot give out such amounts he promised.
“On the last day of the crusade, he sold a bottle of water for us at the rate of N4,800. He said perfume is inside the bottle water. Many people paid for the water. ”
Another victim, a student of University of Ibadan, who pleaded anonymity, said the Pastor ordered them to fast for three days, adding that the evangelist collected their phones for safe-keeping to avoid distraction unknown to them that it was a trick to take their belongings.
“He said no phone should ring. That was why he collected all the phones, in fact, a lady stood up and wanted to snap him. He seized the phone from her.”
“On the last day of the crusade, he said he wanted to go and rest at the hotel where he lodged. He later said he wanted to go and eat at UI, we didn’t know how he escaped with our belongings.
“As a man of God, we respected him a lot. We didn’t know that he wanted to use the name of God to dupe us.”
After reporting the case at Bodija Police station, Abraham has been declared wanted by residents in the area.
Posters bearing his name and pictures have been circulated within the area to track him down.
+ There are no comments
Add yours