Celestial Church Disowns Pastor Arrested Over Alleged Drug Trafficking
The Celestial Church of Christ Worldwide has publicly distanced itself from Afolabi Hodonu, a man arrested by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency alongside his wife over alleged possession of illegal drugs.
Global Mirror News gathered that Hodonu and his wife were arrested on Thursday at the Gbaji checkpoint in Lagos after NDLEA officers allegedly discovered 11 kilograms of skunk hidden inside secret compartments in their vehicle.
During questioning, Hodonu reportedly claimed to be the shepherd in charge of the Celestial Church of Christ, Agonvi Sea Beach Parish, located in the Sakpo area of Seme border, Badagry.
According to the NDLEA, the couple’s arrest followed an earlier operation carried out at the same checkpoint on Monday, March 30. In that operation, officers apprehended a 35-year-old man identified as Sunday Samuel, who allegedly posed as a security operative while transporting 24.5 kilograms of skunk from the Seme border into Lagos.
NDLEA spokesman Femi Babafemi said investigations into Samuel’s arrest later led officials to Hodonu and his wife.
“The arrest of the couple followed the apprehension of a fake security agent, Sunday Samuel, who was caught conveying 24.5kg of skunk from Seme border to Lagos. Further investigations led to the arrest of the pastor and his wife,” Babafemi stated.
The anti-narcotics agency said the arrests formed part of a broader nationwide crackdown on drug trafficking conducted within the last week.
Reacting to the development on Sunday, the Head of Media and Publicity of the Celestial Church of Christ, Kayode Ajala, said church records showed that Hodonu and his wife were not members of the Ketu mainstream branch of the church led by Reverend Emmanuel Mobiyina Oshoffa.
“Our administrative records confirm that Afolabi Hodonu and his wife, Success Hodonu, do not belong to the Ketu mainstream of the Celestial Church of Christ under the leadership of His Eminence, Reverend Emmanuel Mobiyina Oshoffa,” Ajala said.
Ajala also condemned the incident, saying the church’s image had been unfairly linked to the allegations.
He described the alleged offence as a despicable act and announced that the church would dispatch its Task Force Corps to Seme, Badagry, to investigate the circumstances surrounding the matter.
“Given the fact that the name of the Celestial Church of Christ has been dragged into this matter, we shall send our Task Force Corps to Seme, Badagry, for a fact-finding mission,” he added.
The incident has generated reactions online, with many calling for a thorough investigation into the suspects and any possible network linked to the alleged drug operation.
