A Gambian preacher, Pastor Owen Abraham, has been reportedly declared wanted for allegedly duping some Nigerians of their valuables.
The pastor, who addressed himself as Dr. Abraham, was accused of absconding last Tuesday with money, 52 android and Apple phones of many residents of Aponrin in Agbowo, Ibadan, Oyo State capital.
He had been reported to the at the Bodija Police Division by his victims, after allegedly luring them to a 3-day fasting programme and and a 5-day long crusade of the pastor.
Abraham, who had been declared wanted by his victims, was said to have convinced his victims that he was led by God to come to Ibadan from Gambia for the crusade.
It was gathered that on the last day of the crusade, the preacher claimed the Holy Spirit had directed him to tell people to submit their phones and valuables but unfortunately disappeared on the programme’s last day.
One the victims, simply identified as Dave said: “Abraham lured us into a 3-day fasting and prayer programme but was no where to be found on the last day of the crusade after collecting our phones and money. Unfortunately, all efforts to reach him have proved abortive.
Another victim, Mrs. Grace Akintola who has lost her husband, said: “Many widows like myself went for the crusade because the pastor promised to give each us a bag of rice and money. He also promised to grant our children student scholarships.
“The pastor approached an Igbo woman in our area to assist him gather widows and students with a promise to offer us help.
“A man in my area invited me for the crusade, wearing the pastor T-shirt. He assured us that the preacher would buy us houses, adding that the houses would be fully furnished.
“He promised some people who attended the crusade money, which many politicians can not give out. On the last day of the crusade, he sold a bottle of water for us at the rate of N4,800. He said perfume was inside the bottle water and many people paid for the water.”
A student of the University of Ibadan, who would not want his name in print, said the pastor ordered them to fast for three days.
He said that the preacher collected their phones for safe-keeping to avoid distraction, adding that they did not suspect that he wanted to duep them of their valuables.
In his words: “He warned us that no phone should ring during the programme and we all agreed with him to have all the phones. In fact, when a lady stood up to snap him, he quickly seized her phone.
“On the last day of the crusade, he said he wanted to go and rest at the hotel where he lodged. He later said he wanted to go and eat at the University of Ibadan but we didn’t know how he was planning to escape with our belongings.
“As a man of God, we respected him a lot. We didn’t know that he wanted to use the name of God to dupe us.”
Meanwhile, posters bearing the pastor’s name and pictures have been circulated within the area to track him down.
