Pastor Bolaji Idowu, the Lead Pastor of Harvesters International Christian Center (HICC), has been released from police custody after intervention by influential clerics and key figures in the Aso Rock Villa.

Biztellers reports that Pastor Idowu was detained by the Force Criminal Investigation Department (FCID) in Abuja over allegations of real estate fraud and money laundering involving ₦1.5 billion.

The case reportedly originated from a scheme involving a pastor within the church, who allegedly defrauded multiple individuals through a suspicious real estate project.

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Investigations revealed that significant sums from the scheme were funneled through HICC’s accounts and eventually traced to Pastor Idowu’s personal account.

“The police investigation showed that several billions of naira in the scheme were traced first to Pastor Bolaji’s church account and later to his personal account,” a senior police source disclosed.

Known for his popular Next Level Prayers platform, Pastor Idowu was initially held for questioning, with reports suggesting he would spend the night in custody.

“The case emanated from one of his pastors who duped several people in a real estate scheme,” the source explained.

However, late Tuesday, Pastor Idowu was released following high-level negotiations reportedly influenced by prominent pastors and key figures in President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration.

“Pastor Bolaji was released late into the evening after big pastors and President Tinubu’s Aso Villa intervened in the matter,” a police insider confirmed.

As part of the settlement, the pastor has been ordered to repay the funds traced to his account within two weeks.

“He has been asked to pay back the money traced to his account in two weeks,” the source added.

Founded in December 2003, Harvesters International Christian Center has grown into a global ministry with locations in Nigeria, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

The church reportedly attracts over 70,000 worshippers across its physical and online platforms.

Rosemary Oromoni, the mother of Sylvester Oromoni, the 12-year-old boy whose tragic death in 2021 sparked national outrage, has passed away.

Reports indicate that Mrs. Oromoni died in late November after a prolonged battle with blood pressure-related health issues.

Her death comes just over seven months after a Lagos court’s ruling that dealt a setback to the family’s legal fight.

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Recall that in April 2024, a special Coroner Inquest court in Lagos concluded that Sylvester’s death was the result of negligence by his parents and their doctor.

The court ruled that the boy died from untreated complications of an enlarged liver, rather than from the alleged bullying and chemical ingestion at Dowen College.

Biztellers reports that Sylvester died on November 30, 2021, after claiming he was assaulted by five senior students at Dowen College in Lekki.

He also alleged that he was forced to consume a harmful substance.

However, a Lagos State Government investigation in January 2022 cleared the five students and school staff of any wrongdoing.

Coroner Magistrate Mikhail Kadiri, who presided over the inquest, pointed to the Oromonis’ failure to seek medical help in time.

He stated, “Based on the foregoing it is clear that the deceased’s health deteriorated in (parents) PW 3’s care. PW 3 did not take proper care of the deceased, completely abandoning him for more than 32 hours.”

Kadiri went on to say, “The deceased’s death was an avoidable one but for the negligence of the parents and PW 3. They didn’t take him to the hospital until the day he died on November 30, 2021. The deceased went through an avoidable and excruciating pain and was made to suffer needlessly.”

A prominent lawyer and human rights advocate, James Ibor, has called for an end to the age-old tradition of paying and collecting bride price in Nigeria, describing it as a practice that symbolizes slavery and the domination of women by men.

Speaking at a women’s event in Calabar, the capital of Cross River State, Ibor, who serves as the principal counsel at the Basic Rights Counsel Initiative, also advocated for married women to retain their family names instead of adopting their husbands’ names.

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The event, themed “Amplifying Women’s Representation in Politics with a Special Focus on the Special Seats Bill,” was organized by the Cross River State Ministry of Women Affairs in partnership with the civil society organization Stand To End Rape.

Ibor emphasized that the payment of bride price perpetuates inequality and denies women their rights.

“Women are not commodities that should be purchased by men. It tells of signs of slavery, denial of women’s rights, and domination by men. Payment of bride price should stop,” he said.

Sharing his personal experience, Ibor revealed, “I insisted against paying bride price to the family of my wife. We merely exchanged gifts. I strongly recommend replacing this odd and slavish practice with the exchange of gifts between the bride and groom’s families.”

He further urged society to respect women’s autonomy, including their right to retain their family names after marriage.

“Women should be at liberty to bear their chosen names. Changing names should not be an obligation but a choice,” he stated.

The lawyer also condemned the practice in parts of Cross River State where women are denied rights to land and property.

He called for systemic reforms to address these inequalities, urging the government and civil society to collaborate in promoting women’s rights.

The event served as a platform to spotlight the critical role of women in politics and to advocate for legislative reforms aimed at increasing their representation and safeguarding their rights.