No fewer than four ladies have been paraded by the police in Enugu State for confirming’ fake prophecies for pastors in Enugu, Abakiliki and Anambra State.
It was gathered that the syndicate, who were apprehended by the police at two popular motor parks in Enugu – Holy Ghost and P and T bus stops on August 19th and 20th, also faked miraculous healing for some unscrupulous men of God, who contract and pay them for their services.
The fraudsters were identified as Obi Ejike, from Ubaho Okija in Anambra State, Mary Kuku, from Ijebu Ode, Ogun State, Joy Oluwakemi, from Ojo, Lagos State, Nwosu Chizoba, from Umunze, Anambra State, and Peter Uchechi, from Ebonyi State.
We learnt they were apprehended while on their way to Abakiliki, Ebonyi State, where they were contracted to stage phony miracles and healings by an unnamed pastor.
According to Police Public Relations Officer, Enugu State Police Command, Mr. Ebere Amaraizu, the suspects were apprehended after an argument broke out among some of them when they wanted to board a vehicle at Holy Ghost park, Enugu, on August 19.
Amaraizu disclosed that upon interrogation, two members of the syndicate, Ejike and Oluwakemi, opened up on the group’s activities.
Revelations made by the duo led to the arrest of other members of the group at P and T bus stop, Enugu, on August 20th, where they had assembled to board a commercial mass transit bus to Abakiliki, venue of the scheduled operation.
The suspects, who are currently in police custody, are assisting the police in investigations into the false prophecy and staged miraculous healing business, according to Amaraizu.
Giving an insight into the activities of the syndicate, one of the group, Uchechi, a lady, explained that they were recruited in large numbers and kept in a house at Onitsha, in Anambra State, from where they shuttle to ‘confirm a prophecy’ for pastors who, in most cases, want to attract more members to their churches.
Uchechi said they are usually paid through a ‘coordinator’, who acts as a middleman between the syndicate and pastors.
Upon their arrival in any church for a ‘job’, the said link-man, who works for the pastor, would instruct the syndicate on the nature of the assignment.
Uchechi went ahead to reveal that, before the scheduled church service, they usually state their names, nature of a contrived problem or ailment they have and other necessary information, which are given to the pastor who would be ministering to the congregation.
During the ‘prophetic hour’ session of the service, members of the syndicate, who are already known to the pastor, would come out when people who have problems are summoned to the alter.
Subsequently, members of the syndicate would announce before the congregation that they have received healing, following the pastor’s ministrations.
In other cases, according to Uchechi, members of the syndicate would come out to ‘confirm’ a prophecy which would be made by the pastor in the course of the service, based on the information they provided before the session.
She added that members of their group usually fall down, purportedly under the ‘influence’ of the pastor’s spiritual powers, during ‘worship’ sessions.
“Some Pastors use us to grow their churches and ministries and we are paid later through our coordinator depending your role,” Uchechi said.
Ejike, who explained that he works with the coordinator, admitted that he was in charge of the Abakiliki job, which the group was heading for when they were apprehended.
The middle-aged man said he decided to go into the fake prophecy business after his business collapsed in Lagos.
Ejike further disclosed that he was mostly involved in the recruitment of personnel for various assignments.
Another member of the group, Chizoba, disclosed that she went into the business in Abuja, after finding it difficult to fend for her baby, who she had out of wedlock.
According to her, she eventually relocated to Onitsha to team up with the syndicate.
Two other members of the syndicate, Oluwakemi and Kuku, both of who claimed to be widows with four children, each, said hardship pushed them into the business.
They explained that an unnamed friend linked them to the coordinator.
Below is the photo of the arrested suspects:
