The Ondo State Police Command has launched an investigation following allegations by a group of pastors who claimed they were extorted of ₦2 million by some police officers, including the state Commissioner of Police, Wilfred Afolabi Lawal, over allegations of staging fake miracles.
The controversy began after the pastors were arrested during a police operation targeting suspected religious fraud in Idanre Local Government Area of the state. According to the police, the operation was based on intelligence reports that some individuals posing as clerics were staging fake miracles and spiritual interventions to defraud members of the public.
However, one of the pastors, identified as Fadahunsi, alleged that after their arrest, they were detained and pressured by officers to pay money in order to secure their release. He claimed that the officers initially demanded as much as ₦6 million but later accepted ₦2 million, allegedly collected through a Point-of-Sale (POS) transaction. The pastors further alleged that they were threatened and warned not to speak publicly about the incident.
Reacting to the allegations, the Ondo State Police Command denied that the Commissioner of Police was involved in any extortion scheme and said the claims were being taken seriously. Police authorities stated that an internal probe had been ordered to determine the circumstances surrounding the arrest and the allegations made by the pastors.
The command maintained that the operation which led to the arrest of the suspects was part of its broader effort to clamp down on fraudulent religious practices and other criminal activities in the state. Officials also assured the public that any officer found guilty of misconduct would face disciplinary action in line with police regulations.
The case has sparked debate on social media and within religious circles in Ondo State, with many calling for a transparent investigation to establish whether the pastors were victims of extortion or part of a fraudulent miracle scheme targeting unsuspecting residents.