NDLEA Arrests Celestial Church Pastor for Drug Trafficking Near Lagos Border
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has apprehended a clergy named Afolabi Hodonu who claims to be the officiating pastor for the Celestial Church of Christ, Agonvi Sea Beach, Sakpo area of Seme border, Badagry Local Government Area of Lagos state, for drug trafficking.
Afolabi, 45 was arrested alongside his 35-year-old wife, Success, during a stop-and-search operation carried out by the NDLEA at the Gbaji checkpoint.
The couple was arrested on thursday after a large quantity of drugs were found inside their Honda Pilot Sports Utility Vehicle (SUV).
The arrest ccording to NDLEA spokesman, Femi Babafemi, followed an earlier interception at the same checkpoint on March 30, when operatives apprehended a suspected fake security agent, Sunday Samuel, who was allegedly transporting 24.5kg of skunk from the Seme border to Lagos.
“The arrest of the couple followed the apprehension of a fake security agent… while conveying 24.5kg of skunk from Seme border to Lagos,” Babafemi said, noting that investigations from the earlier seizure led to the arrest of the cleric and his wife.
Meanwhile, the Celestial Church of Christ Worldwide has distanced itself from Afolabi Hodonu, a pastor recently arrested by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) over alleged possession of illicit drugs.
Reacting, the church, through its Head of Media and Publicity, Kayode Ajala, stated that the suspects are not affiliated with its recognised structure.
“Our administrative records confirm that the said Shepherd, Afolabi Hodonu and his wife do not belong to the Ketu mainstream of Celestial Church of Christ under the leadership of His Eminence, Reverend Emmanuel Mobiyina Oshoffa,” Ajala said.
He expressed concern over the involvement of the church’s name in the incident, describing the allegation as a “despicable act.”
Ajala further disclosed that the church would deploy a task force to the Seme area of Badagry to ascertain the facts surrounding the matter.
“Given that the name of the Celestial Church of Christ has been dragged into this despicable act, we shall dispatch our Task Force Corps to Seme, Badagry, for a fact-finding mission,” he added.
