A Pastor, Dr. Owen Abraham, has allegedly absconded with fifty-two Androids and iPhones, money, and other valuables of worshipers that attended a crusade organised by him at Aponrin in the Agbowo area of Ibadan.
The said crusader, according to some of his victims, was led by God to come to Ibadan from Gambia for the crusade. Abraham, on the last day of the three-day crusade, claimed to have said the Holy Spirit directed him to tell people to hand in their phones and valuables but later absconded with it.
The victims said Abraham, who lured them into three days of fasting and prayer was nowhere to be found on the last day of the crusade as all efforts to reach him proved abortive.
A victim, Mrs. Grace Akintola, who spoke with our correspondent, said many widows went for the crusade because the said pastor promised to give each person a bag of rice and money, adding that Abraham also promised to empower students with scholarships. Mrs. Akintola, a widow, while recounting her ordeal said: “The Pastor approached an Igbo lady in our area to assist him to gather widows and students, saying he wanted to help us.”
“Someone in my area invited me for the crusade, the crusader wore Pastor regalia. He said he will buy a house for one of us and that the house will be fully furnished.”
“He promised some people that attended the crusade money, even politicians can not give out such money he promised.”
“On the last day of the crusade, he sold a bottle of water for us at the rate of N4,800. Be said perfume is inside the bottled water, many people paid for the water.”
Another victim, a student of the University of Ibadan (UI) who pleaded anonymity, said the pastor ordered them to fast for three days, adding that the evangelist collected their phones so as to keep them away from them and focus on the prayers. Unknowingly, “it was a trick to get rid of their belongings.
“He said no phone should ring, that was why he collected all the phones. In fact, a lady stood up and wanted to take his photographs, he seized the phone from her.”
“On the last day of the crusade, he said he wanted to go and rest at the hotel where he lodged, he later said he wanted to go and eat at UI, we don’t know how he escaped with our belongings.”
“As a man of God, we respected him a lot, we didn’t know that he wanted to use the name of God to dupe us”.
Meanwhile, Abraham has been declared wanted by people in the area, as posters bearing his name and pictures have been circulated within the area to track him down.
Eighteen-Eleven Media