Pastor Arrested For Flogging 20 Children During ‘Spiritual Cleansing’
The Rivers State Police Command has arrested pastor Ifediorah Joseph of a new generation church for allegedly manhandling about 20 children in the name of spiritual cleansing in Eneka community in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of the State.
The children, all completely naked, aged between five and nine years, were said to have been brought to the pastor during a three-day deliverance programme.
In a viral video, the Pastor was seen using palm tree leaves to whip each of the minors severely on their heads and other parts of their bodies.
During the flogging spree, the children groaned in pain and cried for help, but the cleric continued whipping them and afterwards grabbed each by one hand and threw them like a piece of trash to one of his members, who caught them in the air.
After catching them, he places all those who have been supposedly ‘cleansed on one side and waits for the others until the process is complete.
One of the parents who surfaced on hearing the wailing of their youngsters was rebuked and chased back by the pastor for attempting to disrupt the cleansing process.
It was gathered that stripping the minors was part of the cleansing procedure before taken them through the rest of the painful procedure, which takes about one minute for each child.
The State Police Command, in a statement issued by its spokesperson, Grace Iringe-Koko, said the pastor claimed the Holy Spirit led him to carry out the deliverance.
Iringe-Koko further said acting on credible intelligence, operatives stormed the Church, arrested the 41-year-old Pastor, several members, and rescued the children number about 20.
The police statement was titled “Arrest of Pastor and Rescue of Victims in Connection with Minors’ Dehumanization’.
The statement read, “The Rivers State Police Command has taken swift action in response to a distressing online video, circulating on social media, depicting the dehumanization of minors within a Church setting, where the presiding Pastor, Pastor Ifediorah Onyeibor Joseph, ‘m’ aged 41, has been arrested in connection with the incident.
“Preliminary investigations reveal that Pastor Ifediorah allegedly organized a 3-day program for children in his Church, purportedly for “spiritual cleaning,” claiming to have been inspired by the Holy Spirit.
“Upon receiving this information, Operatives from the Rivers State Police Command through coordinated intelligence, arrested the pastor and several Church members at the scene.
“A thorough investigation is currently underway to unravel the circumstances surrounding this incident. Further updates will be made public as more information becomes available.”
Sodiq Lawal is a passionate and dedicated journalist with a knack for uncovering captivating stories in the bustling metropolis of Osun State and Nigeria at large. He has a versatile reporting style, covering a wide range of topics, from politics , campus, and social issues to arts and culture, seeking impact in all facets of the society.
