Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have arrested a pastor and his wife in Lagos after discovering 11 kilograms of skunk concealed in hidden compartments of their vehicle.
The suspects, Afolabi Hodonu, 45, in charge of the Celestial Church of Christ, Agonvi Sea Beach, Sakpo area of the Seme border in Badagry, and his wife, Mrs Success Hodonu, 35, were apprehended on Thursday, April 2, at the Gbaji checkpoint.
A statement issued on Sunday by the agency’s spokesman, Femi Babafemi, said a search of the couple’s Honda Pilot SUV led to the recovery of the illicit substance carefully hidden within modified sections of the vehicle.
“The pastor in charge of the Celestial Church of Christ, Agonvi Sea Beach, Sakpo area of the Seme border in Badagry, Lagos State, Pastor Afolabi Hodonu, 45, and his wife, Mrs Success Hodonu, 35, were arrested on Thursday, April 2, by NDLEA operatives at the Gbaji checkpoint. A search of their Honda Pilot SUV led to the recovery of blocks of skunk weighing 11kg concealed in hidden parts of the vehicle,” he said.
Babafemi said the arrest followed an earlier interception at the same checkpoint on Monday, March 30, when operatives apprehended a fake security agent, Sunday Samuel, 35, while transporting 24.5 kilograms of skunk from the Seme border to Lagos.
He added that investigations into the seizure led to the arrest of the cleric and his wife.
“The arrest of the couple followed the apprehension of a fake security agent, Sunday Samuel, 35, at the same checkpoint on Monday, March 30, while conveying 24.5kg of skunk from the Seme border to Lagos.
“The development is part of a series of operations conducted by the anti-narcotics agency across the country within the past week,” Babafemi said.
However, the Celestial Church of Christ Worldwide has distanced itself from Hodonu and his wife over the alleged possession of illicit drugs.
The Head of Media and Publicity of the church on Sunday, Kayode Ajala, said its administrative records show that the cleric and his wife are not affiliated with the Ketu mainstream of the Celestial Church of Christ under the leadership of His Eminence, Reverend Emmanuel Mobiyina Oshoffa.
“Our administrative records confirm that the said shepherd, Afolabi Hodonu, and his wife, Success Hodonu, do not belong to the Ketu mainstream of the Celestial Church of Christ under the leadership of His Eminence, Reverend Emmanuel Mobiyina Oshoffa,” Ajala said.
He further expressed concern that the name of the Celestial Church of Christ had been dragged into the controversy, describing the allegation as a “despicable act.”
Ajala added that a task force would be deployed to the Seme area of Badagry, Lagos State, to ascertain the facts surrounding 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 on the unfolding situation,” he added.
