20th May, 2016
A mild drama was recorded in Akure, the Ondo State capital, when a self- acclaimed pastor with one of the Pentecostal churches, was arrested for allegedly hawking fetish items.
The pastor, Adeniyi Johnson, said to be mentally challenged, was arrested by residents of Ijomu in Akure metropolis while hawking the items as fried meat in the area.
According to an eyewitness account, the pastor brought out the items from his pocket and put them on a tray before hawking.
Vanguard reported that those who saw him immediately raised an alarm and were trying to lynch him before some elders intervened and suggested he should be taken to the Oba’s palace.
Reports had it that the suspect, who is in police custody, was formally in the Iju/Ita Ogbolu branch of the church before he was transferred to Ipogun branch.
When quizzed by the palace chiefs, Johnson said he was divinely instructed to share the items so as to save his ailing son.
On hearing his confession, the crowd that followed him to the palace attempted to stone him to death, but the palace chiefs reportedly prevented them as the suspect was taken into the inner chambers of the Oba.
Johnson according to reports told the chiefs that his son was dying and that unless people eat the fried meat he was hawking, his son might not survive.
He was said to have pleaded with those who arrested him to allow him finish what he had started so as to save his dying son.
He has since been arranged by the chiefs to be transferred to police custody.
Also, Vanguard reported that he is being detained at the Police Area Command headquarters of the state for interrogation.
Meanwhile, sources at his church revealed that he had been sacked over a month ago to enable his family take care of his mental problem.