3-Day-Crusade: Pastor Swindles Attendees, Flees With 52 Phones In Ibadan

A Pastor identified as Dr. Owen Abraham has been alleged to have defrauded his congregations  and absconded with fifty-two android and iPhones after a three-day crusade in Agbowo axis of Ibadan, the Oyo State Capital.

Report has it that Pastor Abraham told his victims that God led him to come to Ibadan from Gambia for the crusade.

It was also gathered that on the last day of the crusade, he claimed that the Holy Spirit directed him to instruct those in attendance to submit their phones, money and other valuables.

Moments after asking those in attendance to submit the items, he absconded.

The victims who stated that the purported cleric lured them into three days of fasting and prayer, was nowhere to be found on the last day of the crusade.

A victim identified as Grace Akintola, said many widows had gone to the crusade because the pastor promised to give each of them a bag of rice and money.

Akintola, who is a widow, said that the ‘man of God’ also promised to empower students who attended the crusade with scholarship awards.

She said, “The pastor approached a lady in our area to assist him to gather widows and students and that he wanted to help us.

“Someone in my area invited me for the crusade. The crusader put on priest’s regalia. He even said he would buy a fully-furnished house for one of us.

“The pastor equally promised some of those who attended the crusade money, the kind of money that even politicians could not give.

“The last day of the crusade, he (pastor) sold a bottle of water for us at the rate of N4,800; he said that the water had been mixed with perfume and many people paid for it.”

Another victim, a student of the University of Ibadan, who pleaded anonymity, said that the pastor ordered them to fast for three days.

He said he collected their phones so as to keep them away from them and allow them focus on prayers, unknown to them that it was a trick to get rid of their belongings.

The student said, “He said no phone should ring during the programme and that was why he collected all of them.

“In fact, he snapped at a lady who stood up and wanted to take his photograph and seized the phone from her.”

He added that on the last day of the crusade, the pastor said he wanted to go and rest at the hotel where he had lodged.

According to the student, “He (pastor) later said he wanted to go and eat inside the University of Ibadan after which we didn’t know how he escaped with our belongings.

“As a man of God that he claimed to be, we respected him a lot. We didn’t know that he wanted to use the name of God to dupe us.”

Meanwhile, the pastor has been declared wanted by residents of the area, as posters bearing his name and pictures have been circulated within the area to track him.

The incident was confirmed by the spokesperson of the state police command, Adewale Osifeso.