TheNewsGuru

Tag: Congregation

  • Two pastors land in prison for brainwashing congregation to disown parents, burn certificates

    Two pastors land in prison for brainwashing congregation to disown parents, burn certificates

    An Ilorin Magistrates’ Court, on Thursday, remanded two pastors: Olumide Peter and Jasulayomi Adetola, for allegedly brainwashing their congregation to disown their biological parents and burn their certificates.

    The defendants were charged with criminal conspiracy, unlawful assembly, wrongful confinement and putting persons in fear of injury in order to commit extortion.

    The Magistrate, Ibrahim Dasuki, ordered the defendants to be remanded in Oke-Kura Correctional Centre, Ilorin.

    He, thereafter, adjourned the case till Jan. 28, for further mention.
    Earlier, Counsel to the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Mr Ajide Kehinde, said that two children and four adults, who were reportedly abducted by the pastors, were rescued by the corps.

    He said that the defendants, who are pastors at Evidence of Christ Fellowship International Church, Agbo-Oba, Ilorin, kicked against Western education, claiming that it was a sin and that any certificate acquired through it was evil.

    Kehinde said that the pastors had been extorting money from international organisations by sending recorded videos of the children, claiming that they were victims of natural disasters and internally-displaced persons.

    Kehinde said further investigation revealed that the pastors kicked against Western education, urging its congregation to see it as ungodly.

    He said that the offences were contrary to Sections 96, 100, 260 and 293 of the Penal Code Law.

    The counsel prayed the court to remand the defendants on the basis that one of them was still at large.

    He said that releasing the defendants on bail might jeopardise efforts to carry out proper investigation into the matter.

    The defendants, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges preferred against them.

  • Don’t insult Priest, Catholic Church for not allowing me address congregation, Ortom begs supporters

    Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State has appealed to supporters not to insult a Catholic priest, Fr. Ashwe and the church for not allowing him address the congregation at the Thanksgiving service to mark the 64th birthday of a former Governor of the state, Senator George Akume.

    The incident take place at St Christopher Catholic Church Wanune.

    Shorty after the homily, when the priest advised Senator Akume in his sermon, as the leader of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to ensure that the governor pay workers’ salaries.

    After the sermon, Akume, at whose instance the mass was celebrated was allowed to speak, and he in turn invited the governor to react to the issue of non- payment of salaries which the priest raised in his sermon.

    Shortly after the Senator handed over the microphone to Governor Ortom, the priest informed the governor point blank that the doctrine of the Gboko Diocese of the Catholic Church does not allow politicians to speak in church after service except at reception venues.

    The governor simply complied even though there was uproar as worshippers who were mostly politicians hurriedly abandoned the service.

    The Chief Press Secretary to the Governor later issued a statement to douse the tension between the Gboko Diocese and the governor among his supporters.

    The statement reads in part: “We have read various statements arising from the thanksgiving mass yesterday in honour of Senator George Akume at St. Christopher’s Catholic Church, Wannune, Tarka Local Government Area.

    “We wish to state that Governor Samuel Ortom understands and respects the decision of Gboko Catholic Diocese not to allow politicians to speak during masses and therefore would not have felt slighted when the Priest in Charge of the Wannune Parish did not permit him to speak during the mass in accordance with the decision of the Diocese.

    “We urge those amplifying the incident and making inflammatory statements for political reasons to sheathe their swords.”