FAITH/RIGHT: Pastor holds, beats children in guise of ‘spiritual cleansing’

A cleric, Pastor Ifediorah Onyeibor Joseph, Founder and Pastor of “Our Lord Victory Command Mission”, has been arrested for allegedly dehumanising minors in the guise of what he termed as ‘spiritual cleansing and holy ghost purification’. Police spokesman in Rivers State, SP Grace Iringe-Koko, announced the arrest of the cleric in a statement on Thursday. […]

A cleric, Pastor Ifediorah Onyeibor Joseph, Founder and Pastor of “Our Lord Victory Command Mission”, has been arrested for allegedly dehumanising minors in the guise of what he termed as ‘spiritual cleansing and holy ghost purification’.

Police spokesman in Rivers State, SP Grace Iringe-Koko, announced the arrest of the cleric in a statement on Thursday.

A viral video emerged on social media on Thursday on how children numbering about 20 were allegedly subjected to inhuman treatment by the said cleric and some members of his church in the guise of conducting a three-day cleansing for them.

The pastor, who runs the spiritual church at Eneka community in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of the state, was seen make the children kneel in lines and was using palm fronds to beat them one after the other.

• 2027 PERMUTATIONS: APC, ADC, PDP in show of strength as by-elections hold Saturday
• RULING: PDP kicks as Canadian court designates party, APC terrorist orgs

He also used what looked like blood in a basin to bathe them before throwing them to the church members who conducted the spiritual cleansing with him.

Though the children were said to belong to members of the church, who willingly surrendered them to the pastor for spiritual cleansing, some residents of the area videotaped the scene after they heard children crying in the church continuously for two days.

A resident of Eneka community who declined to be named, told Daily Trust that he viewed the incident from a nearby storey building and was disturbed by the inhuman treatment meted out to the minors.

He alleged that none of those children was up to ten years old, lamenting that they were made to kneel for hours, and were severely flogged, before being bathed with the blood in the white basin.

 

Investigation is currently underway – Police

Police operatives in Rivers State have arrested Pastor Joseph, said to be 41 years old, and the three Church members who allegedly joined him in conducting the ‘spiritual cleaning’.

Other church leaders arrested include Welfare Secretary Promise Nwikegha and Minister Deborah Ohia.

The Rivers State Police spokesman said that police operatives swiftly responded to the distressing video, adding that an investigation is currently underway to unravel the circumstances surrounding the incident.

She said: “The Rivers State Police Command has taken swift action in response to a distressing online video, circulating on social media, depicting the dehumanization of minors within a Church setting, where the presiding Pastor, Pastor Ifediorah Onyeibor Joseph, ‘m’ aged 41, has been arrested in connection with the incident.

“Preliminary investigations reveal that Pastor Ifediorah allegedly organised a 3-day program for children in his Church, purportedly for ‘spiritual cleaning’, claiming to have been inspired by the Holy Spirit.

“Upon receiving this information, operatives from the Rivers State Police Command, through coordinated intelligence, arrested the pastor and several Church members at the scene.

“A thorough investigation is currently underway to unravel the circumstances surrounding this incident. Further updates will be made public as more information becomes available.

“The Commissioner of Police, Rivers State, CP Olugbenga A. Adepoju, urges the public to remain calm and peaceful while the investigation is ongoing.

“He urges members of the public to report any suspicious activities or concerns to the nearest Police Station or other Security agencies.

“He reiterates the Command’s unwavering commitment to ensuring the safety and well-being of all citizens, particularly vulnerable populations such as minors.

“The Command will continue to work tirelessly to address any issues that may compromise the security and dignity of individuals within our state,” the Commissioner of Police said.

She said the children have been released to their parents.

 

Parents throng police station to free cleric

Meanwhile, parents of the dehumanised children, who are also members of the Church, thronged the Eneka Police Station where the suspect is being detained, demanding the release of the cleric.

Though they declined to be named, they said they willingly gave their children to the pastor for purification to avert deaths.

The parents, who were seen singing and praying for the release of the cleric, debunked the allegation that the pastor used human blood in bathing the children. They said pigeon blood was used for the cleansing.

One of the parents told Daily Trust that the children were too young to be brought into public scrutiny, as what the pastor did was purely a spiritual exercise.

 

I was inspired by holy spirit – Cleric

Pastor Joseph has, however, explained that the holy spirit inspired him to carry out the spiritual cleansing and purification to avert deaths and other dangers.

The cleric told newsmen at Eneka Police station that parents willingly surrendered their children for the exercise.

He also said that the blood used in bathing the children was not human blood but that of the pigeons, stressing that it was not a directive from man but from God.

He said: “The act of ‘spiritual cleansing’ was not self-inspired but rather a divine directive. It was not carried out carnally or by anybody’s inspiration; it was according to the scripture.

“The blood I used to bathe the children was pigeon blood. It was a directive from the Holy Spirit.”

 

‘It’s unbiblical’

A Bayelsa-based clergy, Pastor Mike Tayese, has said that it’s not biblical for any clergy to subject children to inhuman treatment in the name of deliverance or spiritual cleansing.

Tayese, a pastor with the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), said minors don’t even know anything about deliverance, but if they have any spiritual challenges, the best way is to pray for them and preach the word of God to them.

He said: “It is not biblical to subject children, minors to such a level of dehumanisation in the name of deliverance or the so-called ‘spiritual cleansing’. In fact, the best form of deliverance is preaching the word of God to the people.

“Besides, children between five and ten years, what do they know about deliverance? Yes, we know children can be contaminated, but when you constantly pray and preach the word of God to them, you will be able to groom them.

“Even when you go through the Old Testament, there is no place in the Bible where children were subjected to that kind of treatment called ‘Spiritual cleansing’.

“God from the beginning has always respected children, that is why he said children are his heritage. So, bathing them with blood and whatever is an aberration.

“It’s against the word of God, it’s against real practical Christianity, there is nowhere in the scripture that supported any clergy, any pastor, any prophet to conduct deliverance on a child, even an adult, by bathing them with blood. No, it’s against the word of God,” he said.

 

Women journalists condemn act

The Nigeria Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ), Rivers State Chapter, has expressed outrage over the act of subjecting minors to dehumanising treatment under religious guise.

They described the incident as “inhumane, barbaric, and a gross violation of children’s rights,” stating that no religious justification can excuse such abuse.

NAWOJ, in a statement by Rivers Chairperson, Susan Serekara-Nwikhana, questioned the role of parents in the incident, wondering why mothers would willingly subject their children to such cruel and degrading treatment instead of safeguarding them from harm.

The association commended the Rivers State Police Command for its swift and decisive action in arresting the presiding pastor and other individuals linked to the incident.

It, however, urged the command to ensure that the prosecution process is swift and thorough, so justice is not delayed.

“Children deserve love, care and dignity, not abuse disguised as spirituality. We call on all stakeholders, including religious leaders, community heads, and civil society organisations, to work together to protect the rights of our children,” the statement reads in part.