IG Intervenes in Delta Clerics’ Clash over Alleged Ritual

Sylvester Idowu in Warri

The Inspector General of Police, Usman Alkali Baba, has directed the Force Criminal Investigations Department (FCID) to intervene in the crisis between the General Overseer of Christ Mercyland Deliverance Ministry, Effurun, Delta State, Prophet Jeremiah Fufeyin and the General Overseer of God’s Delight Gospel Assembly, John Ighosotu.

The IGP’s position was contained in a letter referenced CB: 7000/IGP.SEC/ABJ/VOL.570/285 signed by the Principal Staff Officer, CP Idowu Owohunwa and dated March 2, 2022, copy of which was sighted on Tuesday.

The IGP’s letter was in response to Pastor Ighosotu’s complaint to the Force Headquarters through the legal chambers of Mike Ozekhome (SAN) that Prophet Fufeyin had been using security operatives and the media to harass him over an issue that is currently under police investigation.

Prophet Fufeyin had in a petition to the Commissioner of Police in Delta State, CP Ari Mohammed Ali, accused his fellow clerics of blackmail and cyberstalking, alleging that a video depicting cannibalism, cultism, killing of innocent human beings and drinking of their blood was recorded by the fellow clerics whom he labelled as suspected detractors, with the motive to damage his reputation as a man of God.

Fufeyin, in his petition, titled ‘A case of conspiracy, cybercrime, criminal defamation using the Internet, suspected murder, cyberstalking and conduct against Bishop Ufuoma Prince, Pastor Johnmark Ighosotu and others’, claimed the allegations had damaged his reputation built over the years.

“The allegations of cannibalism, cultism, killing of innocent human beings and drinking of their blood as thrown up in the trending video are issues that should not be treated lightly by the law and its enforcement agencies but should be thoroughly investigated with the level of dispatch it deserves,” he said.

However, Ighosotu while refuting the allegations by Prophet Fufeyin described such insinuation as “misrepresentation of facts capable of misleading the general public.”

Ighosotu, represented by Warri-based lawyer and human rights activist, Barrister Oghenejabor Ikimi, told journalists that consequent upon Prophet Fufeyin’s petition to the Inspector General of Police alleging “trumped-up charge of conspiracy, cybercrime and criminal defamation” against him, he (Ighosotu) has been living under sponsored threat from Fufeyin.

He also said he was not on the run as claimed by media publications allegedly instigated by Pastor Fufeyin noting that he has been presiding over activities in his church since.

“Ighosotu has been presiding over activities in his church since and is not on the run as reported in the media. Infant, he presided over the Ministers Conference in his church last weekend. So how come the report that he was on the run to evade police arrest,” Ikimi asked.