The Anambra State Government on Friday, arraigned popular Abia pastor and politician, Bishop Emeka Nwankpa of Chapel of Faith Ministry and seven others before the Anambra State High Court for allegedly orchestrating staged miracles to deceive and defraud their followers.
The pastors are accused of hiring paid actors to simulate divine healings and deliverances, which were then recorded and shared online to boost their congregations and generate financial gains. The case, prosecuted by the State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Tobechukwu Nweke, SAN, marks one of the most high-profile actions against religious deception in the state.
The other accused seven clerics are:
Ndubisi Nnachukwu of Omega Dominion Ministry
Ekeleme Chris Ugochukwu of Cloud of Glory Prophetic Ministry
Peter Chukwu of Messiah Adoration Ministry
Chinedu Egwuonwu of Citadel of Grace Ministry
Ebele Nnachukwu of Jehovah the Mighty Than All Ministry
Miracle Iruoma of City of Power Ministry
Chukwukadibia Ogwuama of Land of Testimony Adoration Ministry.
Following their arraignment, the pastors were remanded in prison custody. The court adjourned proceedings to June 15, 2026, for hearing of bail applications and continuation of the trial.
The charges are brought under Sections 18(3) and 19(1) of the Anambra State Homeland Security Law, 2025, which address the misuse of places of worship for illicit activities and public deception, as well as Section 3(1) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud-Related Offences Act (LFN 2006). Prosecutors say they will rely on video-recorded confessions from the accused pastors, which have been frontloaded as evidence.
Some of the pastors are also facing charges alongside alleged agents who reportedly recruited the actors for the staged miracles.
Attorney General Tobechukwu Nweke, SAN, described the action as necessary to safeguard vulnerable citizens from exploitation. “This is not just about stopping fraud,” he stated. “It is about protecting people from those who weaponise faith for profit.”
The case has drawn widespread attention, with legal observers noting that it could set a precedent for how states across Nigeria address the intersection of religion, public trust, and financial exploitation in places of worship. While isolated actions against fraudulent clerics have occurred elsewhere, the coordinated arraignment of multiple pastors by a sitting governor has been described as unprecedented.
The development reflects growing concerns over “faith capitalism” in Nigeria’s religious landscape, where dramatic miracles are sometimes used as tools for attracting donations and followers. Supporters of the Soludo administration’s move see it as a necessary step to restore credibility to religious institutions and deter further deception.
