Eight Anambra pastors remanded over fake miracles

Eight pastors in Anambra State are facing serious charges for allegedly orchestrating fake miracles and exploiting vulnerable members of the public. A High Court in Awka ordered their remand in a correctional center after they were arraigned for violating the state’s Homeland Security Law, 2025.

The defendants, representing various ministries, are accused of using hired actors to stage miraculous healings and deliverances. The charges also include wielding fake supernatural powers and using religious places for criminal activities. Some pastors pleaded not guilty, but evidence, including video-recorded confessions on a flash drive, was presented to the court.

Operatives of the state security outfit, Agunechemba, led the operation. The state Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Tobechukwu Nweke, stated that the government intends to rely on the confessional statements. He emphasized that this action is part of Governor Prof. Chukwuma Soludo's administration's efforts to curb the exploitation of the public through deception, similar to the ongoing crackdown on fraudulent native doctors.

The court adjourned the matter for further hearing and bail applications, with the accused facing charges related to fraud and deception under state and federal laws. The state government's move signals a broader campaign against individuals allegedly involved in activities that promote criminality through religious or spiritual deception.

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The state intends to rely on these evidences. The charges are part of the efforts of the administration of the state governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, to nip in the bud, the practice of exploiting vulnerable members of the public through deception of staged miracles, just as the state is doing in its crackdown on fraudulent native doctors.