Crime
Lagos Pastor Feyi Daniels Remanded For Alleged Rape
A bishop by the name of Oluwafeyiropo Daniels has been remanded by an Ikeja court specializing in sexual offences and domestic violence on Wednesday.
He was accused of raping a 25-year-old woman while reportedly speaking in tongues at his residence in Lekki, Lagos state.
Notably, this is not the first time the clergyman has faced such charges, as he was previously remanded for allegedly raping two members of his church at his residence in June 2020.
During the trial, the victim, who is also a member of the bishop’s church, gave her testimony under the guidance of Babajide Boye, the state lead counsel.
The victim told the court that she heard her cousin listening to the bishops’s sermon on the phone while they were at her sister’s shop in Osogbo on January 2, 2019.
The victim said “I told my cousin the sermon was nice and he told me the name of the church which I searched for and followed its page on Facebook.
“After that, I was able to chat with Feyi on Facebook and he added me to a WhatsApp group called spiritual sonship group
The alleged victim said she met the pastor for the first time when she attended a three-day retreat organised by the church in 2019.
“He later had a programme at OAU which I attended and met Brother Isaac, one of his spiritual sons, and we exchanged numbers,” she said.
“From the sonship group, I took an assistant pastor / first prosecution witness (PW1) (name withheld) to be my prayer partner because, irrespective of our gender, we call ourselves sons.
“On the WhatsApp group, Feyi dropped a message that all sons should pick a convenient time to fast for 70 days, pray for two hours and break at 6.00 p.m. daily and come to Lagos for laying of hands after the fasting.
“On Sept. 8 2019, I told her (PW1) that I was going to Lagos for the laying of hands but the programme started late and there was nowhere to sleep because I had no one I could stay with in Lagos.
“PW1 told me to call and tell Feyi that I had no one to stay with for the night, and I did. He said there was no problem, and this made me follow him to his house with some other members, including Bro Israel and his wife, but they later left the house that same day.
She also said a lady identified as Rachael took her to a room where they both slept in.
“The following morning, Feyi came out of his room and laid his hands on my head and started praying for me at the dining section, after I greeted him. I went inside the room to start preparing to go to Osogbo, and he told me there was food in the kitchen, that I should eat.
I was eating at the dining when he came to meet me again and said, ‘Are you in your period?’ I said, ‘No”, and he went back to his room. I did not see Rachael in the morning though we slept in the same room.”
She further said the pastor came to her again and told her that he had an instruction for her, adding that he would want her to hear it herself. He further asked her to go into his room.
She said “There are two portraits of one Prophet Babajide David Olulana on Feyi’s living room whom he told me was his spiritual father. Feyi told me to carry one of the portraits and stare at it so that I can hear the instruction myself, which I did.
“After a while, he came out of his room and asked if I heard anything. I told him ‘No’. He then said that the portrait was talking to me but I could not receive it. He said his spiritual father would use another means to speak to me.
“I then got a text message on my phone with the sender showing Babajide. I could not call the number but the message read, ‘Whatever your father asks you to do, do it for your own good’.”
She said the pastor later came out to ask her if she had received any sign, adding that he was instructed to have sex with her.
“I told him I got a message. He said I should delete the message,” she said. Feyi told me that when I was born, my aunt did something to me which prevented my progress in life.
“He said the instruction he received was for him to help me so that I could be free from my aunt. I asked what the instruction was, and he said the instruction was for him to have sex with me. I was confused at this point. His eyes had already changed and he told me to go to his room.”
She added that the bishop had two portraits of Prophet Babajide on his bed when she entered the room.
“He (defendant) was playing a Christian song with the title, ‘Let Praises Rise’ on his phone,” she added. He pushed me on the bed, I tried to move away but he pulled me back as I was already naked. While Feyi was speaking in tongues, he was having sex with me.” she added.
In addition, the victim shared that the pastor had warned her not to disclose the incident, threatening that she would face dire consequences if she revealed it to anyone.
She also disclosed that the pastor had raped her on multiple occasions, and as a result, she became pregnant with his child. Tragically, she lost the pregnancy in an accident on the Ilorin-Ibadan road.
Ramon Oshodi, the presiding judge, adjourned the case until May 25 to allow for the continuation of the trial.
A police officer is reportedly dead and another injured following an attack by unknown gunmen on a police checkpoint in the Ohafia area of Abia State.
The incident, which occurred on Wednesday at Ugwu Abba Asaga, has sparked concerns over the rising wave of insecurity in the region.
The Abia State Police Command has yet to release an official statement regarding the attack. However, when contacted, the Command’s Public Relations Officer, ASP Maureen Chinaka, assured reporters that she would provide updates, but no further details had been shared as of the time of this report.
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This incident is the latest in a series of violent attacks in Abia State. On Monday, the Abia State government accused unnamed politicians and external parties of fueling kidnappings and violence targeting security personnel and civilians since May 2024. In a statement signed by Ferdinand Ekeoma, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Media and Publicity, the government vowed to hold the perpetrators accountable.
“The promoters of violence and insecurity in the state will pay a heavy price,” the statement read.
However, John Okiyi Kalu, a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and former Commissioner for Trade and Investment, criticized the government’s position. He argued that insecurity in the state should not be politicized but rather addressed through actionable measures.
The attack has heightened tensions in the state, with citizens calling for swift action to restore peace and ensure the safety of residents and security personnel alike.
A yet-to-be-identified labourer was reportedly shot dead on Wednesday, while three others sustained critical injuries, during an altercation involving the Crack Squad of the Ebonyi State Police Command at Ugwuechara Junction in Abakaliki.
Witnesses say the incident began when members of the Crack Squad stopped a motorcycle rider, accusing him of fraud and attempting to seize his motorcycle.
The rider reportedly identified himself as a member of the military but was allegedly assaulted by the operatives.
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An eyewitness recounted, “As the policemen removed his cap and started hitting him with their guns, the bike man tried to resist them, possibly to snatch one of their guns.
“One of the team opened fire, which killed one of the labour seekers, who usually gather at the junction to look for daily jobs. Three persons were wounded and were rushed to the hospital.”
The deceased, a labourer waiting for work at the junction, was struck by the gunfire. Among the injured are a young apprentice at a barbershop and a female passer-by.
Witnesses say the police operatives took the body of the deceased and the motorcycle rider to their station after the incident.
Efforts to reach the Police Public Relations Officer in Ebonyi, Joshua Ukandu, were unsuccessful as he did not respond to calls or messages.
However, Obinna Mbam, the Special Assistant on Internal Security to Governor Francis Nwifuru, confirmed the incident.
“Normalcy has returned to the area,” Mr. Mbam said. “The state government will ensure that the perpetrators are brought to justice.”
The incident has sparked outrage among residents of Ebonyi State, who have raised concerns about the increasing cases of police brutality, extortion, and indiscriminate arrests.
Many residents also expressed dissatisfaction with the Crack Squad, which was established as part of police reforms following the disbandment of the controversial Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) in 2020.
The Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, has filed criminal charges against former Nigerian senator Andy Uba and two others, accusing them of defrauding a complainant, George Uboh, of N400 million.
The charges, which include two counts, were brought before the Federal High Court in Abuja.
Uba, who represented Anambra South in the Senate from 2011 to 2019, along with Crystal Uba and Benjamin Etu, is alleged to have conspired with Hajiya Fatima, who remains at large, to defraud Uboh in 2022.
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According to the charges, the accused individuals falsely claimed they could secure the appointment of the managing director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) for anyone who could pay N400 million.
“The accused persons collected the N400 million from Mr. Uboh and converted it into their personal use,” the police said, describing the actions as a violation of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offenses Act of 2006.
The police also revealed that six witnesses would testify against the accused parties.
The case was officially filed on 10 October 2023 by Abdulrashid Sidi from the Police Legal/Prosecution Section.
During a hearing on 13 November, the prosecution informed the court that the defendants had been evading the service of court documents despite being granted administrative bail.
“The defendants obtained a fundamental rights enforcement order, which had prevented the police from bringing them to court,” said M.L. Anthony, a lawyer for the prosecution.
“It was only after the order was lifted that the defendants were finally charged before the judge.”
The trial, presided over by Justice Inyang Ekwo, was adjourned until 18 February 2025.
This delay allows time for the defendants to appear in court and take their plea, following the prosecution’s efforts to ensure they are properly served with legal documents.
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