The Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello on Monday has sealed the New Jerusalem Deliverance Ministry church, located in Ageva, Okene Local Government Area of the state for alleged horrifying practices.
The pastor of the church, Adeiza Peter Michonza has also earlier been arrested for criminal offences such as marketing questionable merchandise such as “bulletproof water”; running unhealthy labour wards for pregnant women in his church, etc.
Adeiza, a music artist turned Pastor is said to have been operating the church since the year 2008.
He is currently being investigated by the police for criminal activities ranging from fraud, use of his prayer house for medical quackery, taking deliveries and also running psychiatric services without medical training.
Before the government sealed the church premises on Monday afternoon, September 26, over 100 people mainly young women had spent months there – including mentally unstable persons in chains.
Speaking with newsmen, the state’s Commissioner for Information and Communication, Kingsley Fanwo, said the Governor had directed that the place be sealed up following the discovery of ungodly activities by the Pastor.
He described the acts of the Pastor as fraudulent, suggesting that he hypnotised his members.
On his part, Commissioner for Health, Dr Zakari Usman, said the Pastor does not have any medical training, but regrettably taking deliveries and blood transfusions… and extorting money from people.
Omodara added that there is enough documented evidence to show that what they practice is contrary to both religious and medical practices.
Meanwhile, members and worshippers confirmed that they have been receiving treatments for different ailments from the self-acclaimed Man of God.
One Mary Oyiza, who was chained claimed that she had a terminal disease and got recovered after she was given anointing water by the pastor. She added that she was chained by an agent of the pastor after she recovered from her illness.
Yunusa Sanusi, a member of the community said his wife was invited to the church as a result of an internal disease that was threatening her life but she lost her life afterwards.
“The pastor called me to come and pay for blood transfusion and I paid over thirteen thousand naira but he didn’t do anything. It took the intervention of the community before the pastor could release the corpse of my wife to me.”
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According to the State Security Adviser, Omodara, the Pastor had earlier been arrested following a preliminary investigation and there is enough documented evidence to show that his practices are contrary to both religious and medical practices.
“In a couple of days, he will be arraigned in court and will be prosecuted if found guilty,” Omodara said.
