Tony Osauzo, Benin
Police have arrested the General Overseer of a church in Benin, Pastor Samuel, for allegedly impregnating and procuring an abortion for a teenage member of his church simply identified as Miracle.
Police said Pastor Samuel charmed and had sex with Miracle in December 2018, and different charms were also said to have been found at his residence.
Pastor Samuel’s arrest followed a report by one Henry Aikhuaman that Miracle was missing.
It was learnt that Miracle was later found on a sick bed at a medical centre along Ewah Road in Benin City, where doctors reportedly told police interrogators that she was brought in by one Happy, a deaconess in Pastor Samuel’s church.
Speaking to newsmen at the police command headquarters in Benin, Happy said it was Pastor Samuel that told her to procure the abortion for Miracle.
On his part, Pastor Samuel described Miracle as one of his daughter in his church and narrated how he put her in the family way.
“Last year I had an extra-marital affair with her. She came to me this year that she was pregnant. I asked my member here to take her to the hospital. She was taking some drugs to remove the pregnancy. The baby died in her womb. The doctors did surgery on her because she was having appendicitis. The hospital asked me to pay N380,000 and I have paid N150,000 before I was arrested. She did not die.
“These charms were items returned by people I prayed for through deliverance. Some are also for me. I also do spiritual work. I have anti-poison and others,” Pastor Samuel said.
Edo Police Commissioner, Mr Muhammed Dan Mallam, said the pastor and his accomplice would soon be charged to court.