Metro

JUST IN: Pastor Bags Life Imprisonment Gor Raping Church Member

Published

1 year ago

January 26, 2024

An Ikeja Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence court on Friday sentenced founder of iReign Christian Ministry, Feyi Daniels, to life imprisonment for “raping a church member”.

The trial judge, Rahman Oshodi, found the Lagos-based cleric guilty of rape and sexual assault of a female worshipper.

The PUNCH earlier reported that the Bishop, who took to the witness box in his own defence, testified that he believed three out of the four women who accused him of sexually assaulting them conspired to turn against him.

While fielding questions under cross-examination, the prosecution’s lead counsel, Babajide Boye, sought to establish that the defendant, Bishop Daniels, had a ‘personal relationship’ with the four women.

Boye alleged that the defendant had counseled one of the women, given the amount of N100,000 to another for hospital treatment, paid school fees for a third, and related with a fourth as a leader in the campus fellowship affiliated with his ministry at Akungba-Akobo in Ondo State.

But the Bishop denied giving money to one of the women for treatment. He said, “I believe all three ladies turned against me, but not (name withheld) because she later apologised to me.”

When asked why the accusations from the ladies were all sexual in nature, the defendant said he didn’t know.

Boye also accused the defendant of using his position as a Pastor to manipulate persons who come to him for counseling.

“You are a man of God. Are you not? A powerful man of God. You get trained to counsel, and you use wisdom and the leading of the spirit to manipulate,” he asked.

However, Daniels denied this allegation, saying, “I am not a powerful man; I am a pastor. I do not use power to counsel people; I am not a manipulator.”

The Prosecutor further grilled the defendant, “You visited your Akungba fellowship centre, and when she (one of the alleged victims) saw you, she hissed. Were you not surprised as a pastor?

“No. She was disgruntled because I couldn’t help her financially.”

The defendant also denied tampering with the WhatsApp messages between him and one of his alleged victims.

During the cross-examination, the prosecutor also sought to tender four statements purportedly written by the defendant whilst in police custody at various intervals last year.

“There are contradictions between the defendant’s testimony and the contents of the documents. We seek to use them to impeach his testimony. We rely on section 232 of the Evidence Act, that evidence even though obtained improperly is still admissible and we urge the court to admit same,” Boye said.

The defence counsel, Adebayo Adegbite, raised objections to the admissibility of the statements. He argued that the statements were not made by the defendant and that the Bishop signed them under duress.

“The statements are a mixture of confession and denial. We leave it to the court to determine whether they amount to a confession. Right from the start of this trial, the defendant has denied the charges, that’s his plea. The documents weren’t made voluntarily. Even if there were contradictions, he wasn’t the maker of the documents, they were written by the police,” Adegbite stated.

Meanwhile, in his ruling, Justice Rahman Oshodi admitted the documents. The judge said, “By section 9(3) and (4) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Law of Lagos State (2021), the presence of a video testimony of the suspect is desirable but not compulsory. I will admit the documents and later consider the evidential value to place on them. The objection of the defence is hereby overruled.”

Metro

NDLEA Arrests Warri Chief, Ayirimi Emami’s Brother For Alleged Drug Smuggling

Published

6 hours ago

July 2, 2025

Editor

… Group lauds agency

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested Emami Ajetsibogho, younger brother to Warri Chief, Ayirimi Emami, for allegedly smuggling drugs worth billions of naira into the country.

It was gathered that the suspect was arrested by the agency’s strike force at Apapa in Lagos State Command following a tip-of.

Reacting to the arrest in a statement, rights activist and president, Ijaw People’s Development Initiative, IPDI, Comrade Austin Ozobo, commended the agency and in particular Commandant-General of the NDLEA, Maj. Gen. Buba Marwa for fighting against drug illicit drugs

Ozobo said, “The arrest of Chief Emami’s brother is a milestone, laudable achievement in the fight against drug trafficking in this country.

“I want to commend NDLEA who were able to get the lead information to apprehend this criminal suspect.”

He added: “As Ijaw people, we are happy that God is vindicating us. The Itsekiris are hell bent to kill the Ijaw people to grab their lands.”

He recalled how a British Soldier from the Itsekiri extraction was recently arrested for smuggling guns into Warri to kill innocent people, especially Ijaw and to cause a crisis in Warri, adding, “God exposed him and DSS arrested the British Soldier and thwarted his evil intentions.”

He noted that another Itsekiri person has been caught allegedly trafficking drugs into the Country. “Who knows whether it was to drug miscreants to kill Ijaw people and burn villages? Ozobo asked.

“Ayiri particularly who has been making all kinds of unprintable statements against Ijaw people, we are surprised that his younger brother is a drug baron. Ayiri should be ashamed of himself.

“This shows that Ayiri Emami’s family is not a reputable family, by wanting to bribe NDLEA with a whopping sum of Two hundred million (N200m) to get his brother released. We thought Ayiri had a reputation, but it is shameful.”

Comrade Ozobo, therefore, urged the NDLEA to investigate the matter thoroughly and prosecute the suspect in line with stipulated laws to serve as a deterrent to others.

“I am calling on the NDLEA to investigate properly and bring to book anyone connected to this crime. If Ayiri is connected, he should be brought to book. Anyone connected connected should be brought to book,” he said.

Metro

Ekiti Court Remands Man Over Alleged Threat To Life

Published

7 hours ago

July 2, 2025

Editor

An Ekiti State Chief Magistrate Court, Ado Ekiti District, has ordered the remand of a 31-year-old man, Caleb Ajobor, at the correctional custody in Ado Ekiti over alleged assault and threat to life.

The defendant was accused of conducting himself in a way that constituted a threat to the life of a woman, one Omotayo Olowolagba, at the Ekute area of Ado Ekiti, the Ekiti State capital.

The Police Prosecutor, Inspector Akinwale Oriyomi, told the court on Wednesday that “the defendant on June 29, 2025, at about 10am at Ekute Quarters, Ado Ekiti, did assault and threaten the life of Olowolagba Omotayo.

“The defendant did hit the chest of the female victim and conducted himself in a manner likely to cause a breach of peace in society.

“The offence committed is punishable under sections 185, 46, 181(d) laws of Ekiti State of Nigeria 2021,” the prosecutor stated.

Oriyomi pleaded with the court to order the remand of the defendant in the correctional centre.

Counsel to the defendant, Adunni Olanipekun, however, urged the court to grant his client bail, assuring that he would not jump bail.

The Chief Magistrate, Mr Abayomi Adeosun, refused the bail application and ordered that the defendant be remanded at the correctional centre.

Adeosun adjourned the matter till July 11 for hearing.

Metro

Customs Intercept 111 Live Parrots, Illicit Drugs In Adamawa, Taraba

Published

8 hours ago

July 2, 2025

Editor

The Adamawa and Taraba Area Command of the Nigeria Customs Service has intercepted 111 live African grey parrots, illicit drugs, and other contraband items worth over N67 million.

The Area Comptroller, Garba Bashir, made this known at a news conference on Wednesday in Yola.
Bashir said that within three weeks, officers recorded 19 seizures valued at N67,785,358 in different locations.

According to him, the locations are Mubi-Sahua, Goshindan-Farang, Belel, Girei-Woro Bokki, Gella, Fufore-Gurin, Damare Waterside, Apawa-Numan road, and the Savannah-Numan axis.

The seized items include; 13,200 litres of Premium Motor Spirit and 1,925 litres of Automotive Gas Oil, packed in 528 and 77 jerry cans respectively.

“11 sacks of second-hand clothing, Tramadol capsules; 5,710 (100mg), 990 (50mg); and 185 packets of Benzhexol tablets, 111 live African grey parrots and nine dead ones,” he said.

The comptroller said that the illicit drugs were intercepted from a suspect along the Apawa-Numan road on June 19.

He noted that the substances were concealed in charcoal sacks and recovered following credible intelligence.

“These drugs, when abused by youths will induce them to perpetrate their nefarious activities.

“Such drugs can be inimical to the health of the citizens and undermining security of the nation,” he said.

On the wildlife seizure, Bashir said a suspected trafficker was caught on June 27 while attempting to smuggle the parrots from Cameroon through the Gurin border.

Bashir said the parrots were stuffed in six wooden boxes, leading to the death of nine resulting from poor handling.

“The interception aligns with Nigeria’s commitment to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).

“Poaching methods are often brutal and a high percentage of captured birds die even before reaching export sites.

“The species are highly trafficked due to its high demand as intelligent and mimicking pet,” he said.

The comptroller said that the seized drugs and suspects would be handed over to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, while the parrots would be transferred to the World Parrot Trust for rehabilitation.

He said that 101 raw donkey skins, earlier seized in May, would be destroyed under NCS regulations.

He said the seized petroleum products would also be auctioned immediately to avoid fire hazards, with proceeds paid into the Federation Account.

The customs boss commended the leadership of the Comptroller General, Bashir Adeniyi, for providing an enabling environment and support from sister security agencies.

He reaffirmed the command’s commitment to curbing smuggling, protecting Nigeria’s borders, and safeguarding public health and the economy.

(PUNCH)