From Tony John, Port Harcourt
Dozens of victims of MBA forex trading in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, picketed the Christ Embassy Church, in Odili Road, Port Harcourt, alleging that three of its pastors defrauded them billions of naira.
The aggrieved protesters, who displayed placards with different inscriptions, said they chose to stage the protest on Sunday, because the persons that defrauded them are members of the church.
The demonstrators stated that since 2020 when they noticed that they had been defrauded, the victims have suffered agony, pains and hopelessness, which have led to the untimely deaths of many.
Leader of the group, Christian Agadaga, said: “Well, as a leader of this struggle, victims of MBA forex trading, assembled at Christ Embassy Church today to register our displeasure to say exactly how we feel, our pains and agony, our calamities because of just one man, Maxwell, who defrauded Nigerians to the tune of N213 billion.
“While we were trying to recover from the shock for over two years now, the Economic and Finance Crimes Commission (EFCC) has declared three persons wanted. From our intelligence, these three persons are pastors and workers of this church.
“We are so disappointed and we have come here to let the leadership of the church know our pains. We want to use this opportunity to appeal to Pastor Chris Oyakhilome, he is a man that does not tolerate evil, to immediately report those pastors who are in hiding to the EFCC.
“We cannot take it anymore. Some of our colleagues have died; some as a result of this problem. Some were hospitalised and those of us alive cannot face tomorrow. Some are homeless, jobless as a result of this church.
“We are asking, that monies siphoned by these pastors, be returned to the EFCC. We cannot tolerate this anymore. We cannot continue this way. We must collect our money back.
“As Nigerians, we cannot continue to die in silence. Nigeria cannot continue to suffer and die in poverty because of fraud meted by so-called men of God. We cannot take it any longer. We need our money now.”