Men of the Ondo State Police Command have arrested a 56-year-old man, Festus James, for allegedly raping a 22-year-old lady who is eight months pregnant, under the guise of delivering her from an evil spirit.

Parading the suspect yesterday at the command headquarters Bolaji Salami said:

On the 13th November, 2021, one Festus James ‘m’ from Ibadan in Oyo State went to Agbabu village via Ore, claimed to be a Prophet and that the Holy Spirit directed him to have a 3 days Holy Ghost Revival in a Church in the village.

The next day, the prophet claimed to have seen a vision concerning a 22-year-old lady who was eight months pregnant and told her to wait behind after the programme she took the pregnant lady into one of the rooms in the mission house under the guise of delivering her from an evil spirit and had carnal knowledge of her.

Salami, who spoke through Police Public Relations Officer in the state, DSP Funmilayo Odunlami, also showcase five other suspects arrested by the police for various criminals offences ranging from rape, unlawful possession of military uniform, impersonation, burglary and stealing.

He said the command also arrested a 65-year-old man, Lasisi Isiaka for allegedly being in position of human skull.

On the 10th of November, 2021, at Yaba Division in Ondo town. we received an anonymous call that two men were seen digging a grave inside Anglican Cathedral Church, Surulere, Oke-Aluko cemetery and were packing objects suspected to be human parts into a bag.

Immediately, Policemen attached to the Division went to the scene and found Lasisi Isiaka who on sighting the Police increase his footsteps and walked into a house opposite the cemetery with a sack bag, Police followed him, searched the sack and found a dry human skull in it. He could not give any cogent reason for his action and the skull in his possession.

On the 12th November, 2021, Policemen on surveillance patrol duty along Benin/Lagos road intercepted a sienna bus with registration number UWN 505 ZL, driven by one Tochukwu Obasi ‘m’. A black sack containing 10 pairs of military camouflage trousers, eight military camouflage jackets; nine pairs of military knee cap protector and nine pairs of military face cap was found in the vehicle.

Salami noted that

on the 23rd October, 2021, a case of stealing was reported by a resident of Ijapo extension, that after she returned from a business trip, she observed that her house had been burgled by unknown thieves and part of her valuables were carted away. She stated the property stolen to include two laptops valued N545,000; headset valued N44,000; clipper valued N86,000 and jewelries worth N4 million.

On the receipt of this complaint, Police Detectives in the area through intelligence gathering arrested the duo of Oluwasuyi Oluwadamilola ‘m’ and Ismail Nasiru ‘m’ and Parts of the jewelries and the two laptops were recovered from the suspects.

Also, on the 29th October, 2021, own troops deployed for ex-still waters at Okitipupa arrested one Lawal Taiwo ‘m’ of No. 1 Togbe Street, Agege, Lagos who falsely paraded himself as a Military personnel fully dressed in military woodland camouflage, he claimed after several failed attempts to join the Military, he got frustrated and started parading himself as a member of the Armed Forces,

Salami added.

Speaking with Journalists, the revivalist said though he had sex with the 22-year-old lady but did not rape her, adding that he did not know what came over him when he was carrying out the nefarious act.

Justin Nwosu

Justin Nwosu is the founder and publisher of Flavision. His core interest is in writing unbiased news about Nigeria in particular and Africa in general. He’s a strong adherent of investigative journalism, with a bent on exposing corruption, abuse of power and societal ills.