Security operatives invade popular church in Ondo, digs altar in search for fetish objects

A popular pentecostal church, Promise Land Prophetic Ministries, Akure, the Ondo State capital was invaded by men of the Nigeria Police over claims of alleged involvement of the General Overseer of the church, Pastor Gbenga Akinbiyi in diabolical practice.

It was gathered that the policemen from the Force headquarters in Abuja stormed the church located at Shasha in Akure North Local Government Area of the state capital, and dug the altar of the church.

According to a source in the church, the action of the policemen was not unconnected with an ongoing investigation over fetish allegation against the founder and pastor of the church.

The source on Tuesday said some former members of the church wrote a petition against the founder that he planted some fetish objects on the altar of the church in order to draw more congregants.

While narrating how things went awry between the embattled Pastor and some foundation members of the church, the source stated that the crisis started after he (pastor) broke away from the Christ Apostolic Church (CAC) and changed the name of the church, some years ago.

“After he changed the name of the church, some founding and prominent members of the church started observing that he was derailing from the real Christian doctrine and spirituality.

“They also observed that the pastor was being fetish, that he planted some fetish materials on the altar of the church. So many of them left the church.

“After leaving the church, they wrote a petition to the police to investigate the pastor. That must have been what led policemen to dig the altar. ”

Confirming the development, the state Police Public Relations Officer, Femi Joseph, stated that the policemen went to the church as part of the ongoing investigation into some allegations against the pastor.

“There are some allegations against the pastor of the church, but we can’t disclose the allegation now until after our investigation. So what our men did in the church was part of the ongoing investigation. ”

Reacting to the allegations, Pastor Gbenga Akinbiyi refuted the claim that he planted some fetish things on his church altar.

He, however, confirmed that policemen were in his church and dug the altar but found nothing planted on the altar after digging it.

“I did not plant anything on the altar, it was the handiwork of some of my former members whom I have helped.

“I was the one that petitioned the Inspector General of Police, initially, they didn’t want to dig the altar. I was the one that insisted that the altar must be dug. Everyone was there with the policemen on that day and they did not find anything planted on the altar.