EFCC Arrests Kwara Pastor For Defrauding Church Member N3.9m

The General Overseer of CAC Freedom City Prophetic and Deliverance Ministry, Ilorin, Kwara State, Adeniyi James, has been detained by the Ilorin Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for allegedly cheating a church member out of N3,980,000.

The victim, Oluwole Babarinsa, had claimed in a petition to the commission that James had called him out during a church session at some point in 2021, saying he had received a revelation that he would fly overseas, according to a statement released by the EFCC’s Head of Media and Publicity, Dele Oyewale.

In the document, the petitioner said that when the cleric questioned him about his favourite nation during the revelation, he answered, “Canada.”

“Thereafter, we struck an agreement to talk later to perfect arrangements for the trip. The prophet later told me that he had a friend in Lagos who could help me facilitate my relocation to Canada, but for N1.7 million and N2.5 million for processing of flight ticket and travel documents, respectively” the petitioner said.

The petitioner also disclosed, according to the panel, that in order to raise N3,980,000—which he handed the prophet in order to expedite his relocation to Canada—he had to sell some of his property and take out some loans.

The petitioner went on to say that after waiting for a long time without receiving anything, he got angry and started to doubt the prophet’s vision, which is what led him to want a return of his money.

He added that he had tried everything, including pleading with the suspect to return his money, but to no avail. The EFCC stated that after the investigations were over, the suspect will be charged in court.