JUST IN: Popular Nigerian Pastor On The Run For Impregnating Teenage Church Member
A 55-year-old Pastor simply identified as Mr. Pillar has been arrested by the Police operatives in Emohua local government area of Rivers State for allegedly defiling and impregnating a 15-year-old girl member of his church.
Pillar, who is the resident Pastor of Gracious Covenant Church, Ndele community, in Emohua LGA was arrested on Thursday.
His arrest followed a complaint made to the police by Mr Amesi ThankGod, an in-law to the 15-year- old girl.
In an interview with Journalists, Mr ThankGod explained how the Pastor got the girl pregnant.
He said, “Anytime everybody left for the farm, the girl normally goes to the church to relax, then comes back at evening. In last few days, the girl was vomiting, before my wife (her elder sister) took her to for medical test, after testing her, the result show that she was pregnant, that is how we knew”.
Explaining further, Mr ThankGod alleged that the Pastor threatened the 15- year- old girl not to tell anyone that he was sleeping with her, that if she does, he will kill her.
Mr. ThankGod stated that upon the discovery that the teenage girl was pregnant, her elder sister took her to Pastor Pillar who reportedly agreed that he is responsible for the pregnancy, but that he would not want the victim to keep the pregnancy.
According to him, Pastor Pillar pleaded that the pregnancy should be kept secret while the girl should given a drug that will flush it out.
He also disclosed that because of the symptoms of pregnancy, the teenage girl has been sickly and physically weak.
“It has been either her mother or her elder sister who is dressing her up and bathing her as a result of the weakness in pregnancy,” she said.
Meanwhile, information available to our reporter indicated that the Pastor was initially taken into protective custody by local vigilante group in Ndele community to prevent mob action against him.
He was later arrested by personnel of Rumuji Police Division.
Meanwhile, a human rights advocacy group, Centre for Basic Rights Protection and Accountability Campaign has waded into the matter and called for a thorough investigation into the incident.
The Group in a statement by its National Coordinator, Prince Wiro, urged the Police to carryout their investigation without bias or sentiment and if the suspect is found culpable in the course of investigation,he should be arraigned in court.
The Spokesperson for the Rivers State Police command SP Grace Iringe Koko, has not spoken about the incident at the time of filing this report.
