Lagos Church In Disarray, Members Divided, As Pastor Is Accused Of Raping 15 Minors

4 years ago

Lagos Church In Disarray, Members Divided, As Pastor Is Accused Of Raping 15 Minors

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LAGOS – The alleged defilement scandals bedeviling a popular Pentecostal Church, Mount Zion Prayer And Deliverance Ministry, Ijegun, Lagos State has caused a big crisis among church members as some support the accused Pastor while others against.

The lingering crisis was due to the continued Police detention of their hitherto respected Prophet and General Overseer, Prophet d!ckson Ayooluwa Ajigbare, over the allegations of impregnating and abortions carried out on a 13-year-old girl, named Abigail (surname with held), who happens to be one of his members daughter.

The popular clergyman is also facing accusations of defiling 15 other underage daughters of his members, whose ages were given as between 5 years to 22 years old.

It was gathered that since Friday last week, Prophet d!ckson has been facing a difficult task, trying to convince Police Investigators at Ikotun Police Division, Lagos State, that he knew nothing about the allegations.

When our correspondent visited the Church premises located at No. 21 Irawo Owuro Street, Ijegun, Lagos, it was obvious that the crisis has taken its toll on the church activities, as members appear to have deserted all church programmes, while the church building was under lock.

However, at the Police station there was clear evidence of disunity and divided loyalty among the members. While one camp was busy contributing money for his release from detention, the other camp who insisted their Prophet must face prosecution for the alleged crimes, were busy providing evidence and bringing more victims of the said defilement, including a new survivor named Deborah.

d!ckson’s journey to the police cell started on Friday, October 18th, 2019, following a complaint of child molestation reported at the Family Support Unit, Ikotun Police Division, by one Mrs. Toyin Abodunrin, mother of a 5-year-old girl, victim of alleged defilement.

Toyin, who claimed to be an Evangelist and Resident worker in the Prophets Church, was brought to the police station by a Non–Governmental Organization (NGO), Precious Eyes Foundation, a member of Child Advocate And Vulnerable Persons Network Of Nigeria.

Confirming the allegations against the Prophet, Leader of the NGO, Mrs Precious Ndukwu, told our correspondent that the embattled Cleric has allegedly defiled 15 little girls in the church and impregnated and aborted one Abigail three times.

Ndukwu, noted that initial efforts to arrest the Prophet from his church and house was unsuccessful, after which he voluntarily honoured police invitation with two of his lawyers.

However, the Prophet in a telephone conversation with our correspondent before his detention denied all the allegations.

Meanwhile, Toyins’ 5-year-old daughter in her statement narrated how the Prophet removed her pant and penetrated her private part in the church, when her mother had gone to work.

Collaborating her daughter’s evidence, Toyin confirmed that the medical test conducted on her, indicated that she was no longer a virgin, due to the alleged defilement by the Prophet.

“He took the advantage of our living in the church premises, to defile my daughter. We usually leave for work in the morning and return in the evening.

“When I discovered this evil act on my daughter, I raised the alarm but many Church members and pastors came pleading with me to forgive, but when I now realised that my daughter was not the only child defiled by the Prophet, I decided to take action “, Toyin said.

As at the time of going to press, Prophet d!ckson was still cooling off his heels inside cell.

Attempts to get the comments of the Divisional Police Officer, DPO, CSP Emmanuel Onah, was not successful, as he was said to be away on official assignment.

However, reliable police source, said that the Prophet would be charged to court at the conclusion of investigation.