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The Ekiti State police command has arraigned one Pastor Noah Abraham of the Christ High Commission Ministry for allegedly demanding N310,000 from members of his church to have access to heaven after rapture in Omuo-Ekiti, in Ekiti East Local Government Area of the state.
The cleric was said to have opened a camp in the community and ordered members to relocate with the money and prepare to make heaven after the end of the world. Nigerian Tribune gathered that the cleric was arrested last week by the police and arraigned before a magistrates’ court in Ado-Ekiti on a one-count charge.
A source in the court revealed that the pastor was arraigned for “attempt to commit offence to wit, obtaining money under false pretence,” and granted administrative bail. Speaking on Wednesday, the state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), ASP Sunday Abutu, who confirmed the arraignment of the pastor, noted that the command would not allow individuals or group to defraud people of the state under any guise.
While calling for calm from residents on the issue, the police spokesperson advised that misinformation and unsubstantiated reports should be disregarded in the interest of peace and order in the state.
Abutu said, “This has become necessary to avoid misinformation, unnecessary apprehension and to inform members of the public that the command is not unaware of the trending controversial activity, as necessary steps and actions have been taken.
“Based on intelligence report received by the command on April 25, concerning the religious activity, the Area Commander, OmuoOke led a team of detectives to the church camp located at Araromi Ugbeshi-Ekiti.
“The pastor was subsequently invited to the station for interrogation. Meanwhile, Pastor Noah Ade Abraham, after thorough investigation, was arraigned accordingly.
“The command pledges to closely monitor suspicious activities by any person or group of persons across the state in order to ensure that the life and properties of innocent citizens are totally protected.”
It was gathered that the pastor first relocated to Ekiti from Kaduna, where he was based, in 2021.
He was said to have later returned to Kaduna in April to ask each member of his church to pay N310,000 before they would be allowed to follow him to Omuo-Ekiti, where “the gate of heaven will open for all of them to fly to heaven.”
Reports have it that Abraham also assured the members that they would all “ascend to heaven together from the location in Ekiti.”
Tribune
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