A pastor has been declared wanted by Nigerian police after he allegedly absconded with 52 mobile phones, money, and other valuables belonging to worshippers who attended a three-day gospel programme that he organised in the city of Ibadan. 

The pastor, who was reportedly from Gambia and identified as Owen Abraham, told his audience on the last day of the programme that the Holy Spirit told him to instruct them to submit their phones, money, and other valuables so that they could focus on praying without distractions.

He claimed that God sent him from The Gambia to Ibadan for the crusade, according to reports from News Agency of Nigeria. 

Most of those who attended the program were widows and students because the cleric had used the bait of empowering them with finance and material resources to lure them to attend.  

One of the victims, Mrs. Grace Akintola, a widow said many widows attended the programme because the cleric promised each of them a bag of rice and money.

She added that he also promised students, who attended the programme scholarships.

“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 to the crusade. The crusader put on a 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.

“On 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.”