Two men posing as pastors have been apprehended by the Rivers State Police Command after being discovered with a cache of occultic items in the Rumuduru community of Obio/Akpor Local Government Area.
Police spokesperson SP Grace Iringe-Koko confirmed the arrests in a statement released on Friday in Port Harcourt. The suspects were handed over to the police by concerned residents of Rumuduru.
According to Iringe-Koko, the two men operated separate churches within the community. “On January 20th, youths from Rumuduru, led by their President, Henry Worlu, raided the area and apprehended Bassey and Elijah from their respective churches,” she stated.
During questioning, Bassey admitted to using various spiritual materials, including water and oil, for purported healing rituals. He also confessed to using a small casket and a substance he called ‘miracle life oil’ to pray for individuals with mental health issues, falsely claiming they would recover within three months, Iringe-Koko revealed. Bassey had reportedly been operating in Rumuduru for 17 years.
A variety of disturbing items were seized from the suspects, including a firearm cartridge, small wooden boxes, a sword, a forged Nigerian Navy identification card, and numerous photographs. Authorities also confiscated children’s shoes, a police lanyard, and a collection of crosses and other spiritual artifacts.
The suspects and the recovered items are currently in police custody, and a full investigation is ongoing, Iringe-Koko confirmed.
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