THE Ekiti State Police Command has arraigned Noah Abraham, a pastor widely reported to have demanded N310,000 from his church members for the rapture.
The spokesperson for the Command, Sunday Abutu, confirmed the development to The ICIR on Monday.
Abraham is the founder of Christ High Commission Ministry, Araromi-Ugbesi, Omuo Oke Ekiti, Ekiti East Local Government Area of the state.
The ICIR had revealed how he camped dozens of Nigerians in his church for the rapture after collecting N310,000 from them.
The police consequently invited him for interrogation.
According to multiple reports on Monday, the police arraigned him at the Chief Magistrates Court sitting in Ado Ekiti.
The charge against him reads: “That you, Pastor Noah Abraham on April 27, 2022, at Omuo Oke Ekiti in Omuo Magisterial District, did by false pretence and intent to defraud, presented yourself to your congregation at Christ High Commission Ministry, Omuo Oke Ekiti as capable of taking them to heaven before the rapture, upon payment of money ranging from N300,000 to N310,000.”
The police said the offence contravened Section 416 of the Criminal Law of Ekiti State, 2012.
Abraham pleaded not guilty to the charge.
His counsel, Adunni Olanipekun, urged the court to grant his client bail. The police prosecutor, Inspector Johnson Okunade, did not oppose the application.
The court’s magistrate, Titilola Olaolorun, granted bail to Abraham in the sum of N100,000 with two sureties in the like sum.
The court adjourned the case to May 24 for mention.
In an exclusive chat with The ICIR, Abraham had said the people he kept in his church were waiting for Jesus.
“When you hear that a whole city descends from heaven and a mighty palace appears in Nigeria here in Ekiti, know that the man speaking here is the one to be contacted because the whole world will hear,” Abraham said.
He said he would keep dozens of people in the church as long as the “one who sent” him told him to hold them.
While neighbours said Abraham’s activities were suspicious, many of his former church members revealed more damning revelations about him in the subsequent investigation by this newspaper.
After visiting Abraham’s church in Ekiti, The ICIR’s crew were in Kabba, Kogi State, where Abrahan had run a church and was banished by the town for operating a ‘strange’ ministry.
The reporters found that Abraham had separated from his wife and allegedly eloped with the woman who called herself his daughter in his Ekiti church.
The woman was his choirmaster’s wife in Kabba.
Abraham’s real wife, his alleged mistress’ husband, Kabba monarchs and the pastor’s former church members confirmed the pastor had eloped with the mistress – and the Kabba community banished him.
On Sunday, The ICIR published the report on how Abraham ran a strange ministry in Kabba, among other alleged atrocities.
Marcus bears the light, and he beams it everywhere. He's a good governance and decent society advocate. He's The ICIR Reporter of the Year 2022 and has been the organisation's News Editor since September 2023. Contact him via email @ mfatunmole@icirnigeria.org