Celestial Church Distances Itself from Pastor And Wife Arrested with Drugs at Seme Border, Badagry

Image:Facebook 

 

In a recent turn of events, the Celestial Church of Christ Worldwide has moved quickly to clarify that a pastor and his wife recently arrested in Lagos with illegal drugs are not part of its recognized body.

Pastor Afolabi Hodonu and his wife, Success Hodonu, were intercepted by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) at the Gbaji checkpoint along the Seme border in Badagry.

 Authorities allege that the couple was transporting 11 kilograms of skunk hidden in compartments of their vehicle. Hodonu had presented himself as the Shepherd overseeing the Agonvi Sea Beach parish in the Sakpo area near the border.

NDLEA spokesperson Femi Babafemi explained that the couple’s arrest was part of a broader crackdown on drug trafficking across the country.

 “The apprehension of a fake security agent, Sunday Samuel, 35, at the same checkpoint on Monday, 30th March, while conveying 24.5kg skunk from Seme border to Lagos,” he said.

 “The development was part of a series of operations conducted by the anti-narcotics agency across the country within the past week.”

Following the arrests, the church quickly addressed concerns over its reputation. Kayode Ajala, Head of Media and Publicity for the Celestial Church, confirmed that Hodonu and his wife have no connection to the church’s mainstream body in Ketu under the leadership of Reverend Emmanuel Mobiyina Oshoffa.

“The administrative records confirm that the said Shepherd, Afolabi Hodonu and his wife, Success Hodonu, do not belong to the Ketu mainstream of Celestial Church of Christ under the leadership of His Eminence, Reverend Emmanuel Mobiyina Oshoffa,” Ajala said.

Ajala also expressed concern that the church’s name was being associated with the arrests, calling it a “despicable act.” He revealed that a task force would be sent to the Seme border area to investigate the situation further and determine how the church’s name became linked to the incident.

“Having said that and given the fact that the name of the Celestial Church of Christ has been dragged into this despicable act, we shall dispatch our Task Force Corps to Seme, Badagry, for a fact-finding mission of the unfolding situation,” he added.

The swift response by the church reflects its determination to distance itself from illegal activities while authorities continue their investigations into the arrest. As the case unfolds, the focus remains on the NDLEA’s ongoing efforts to clamp down on drug trafficking in Lagos and along the Seme border.

#CelestialChurch

 #SemeBorder

 #NDLEAArrest

 #BadagryNews