Residents of Aponrin in Agbowo, Ibadan are reeling from the shock of an alleged theft by a Gambian pastor, Owen Abraham. The pastor reportedly absconded with 52 phones, money, and valuables belonging to worshippers who attended a crusade organized by him. According to Independent, some of the victims said that Abraham claimed to have been led by God to come to Ibadan from Gambia for the crusade.
On the last day of the three-day crusade, Abraham instructed attendees to submit their phones and valuables, claiming that the Holy Spirit had directed him to do so. However, he later disappeared with the items. Mrs. Grace Akintola, one of the victims, said that many widows had attended the crusade because the pastor had promised to give each person a bag of rice and money, and to empower students with scholarships.
“He lured us into three days of fasting and prayer and was nowhere to be found on the last day of the crusade as all efforts to reach him proved abortive,” said Akintola. She added that the pastor had approached an Igbo lady in the area to help him gather widows and students, claiming that he wanted to help them.
“He promised money to give to some people who attend the crusade, even politicians cannot give out such money,” she said. “On the last day of the crusade, he sold a bottle of water for us at the rate of N4,800, he said perfume is inside the bottled water, and many people paid for the water.”
