They stood on the altar with Bibles in their hands. They raised their voices in prayer. They preached holiness, warned against sin, and spoke boldly about judgment. People trusted them. People knelt before them. Some believed God was speaking directly through them.
But behind closed doors, away from church members and Sunday services, some of these men lived a different life. A hidden life. A dark life. And that hidden life did not end in repentance. It ended in police stations, courtrooms, and prison cells. This story is not told to mock the church. It is not an attack on Christianity. It is a warning.
Because when spiritual power is abused, the damage goes beyond the body. It wounds the soul. Tonight, we tell the stories of 10 Nigerian pastors who went from the pulpit to prison, and the crimes that took them there. Sit tight. Listen carefully.
Because some of these stories will shock you deeply.NUMBER TEN. PASTOR FE DANIELS
Pastor Fe Daniels was once seen as a rising voice in ministry. He preached discipline, purity, and obedience to God. Young adults respected him. Many saw him as a spiritual father.In May 2023, his image collapsed. A 25 year old female church member reported that Pastor Fe Daniels sexually assaulted her at his Lekki residence. She said she visited him believing she was coming for spiritual counseling and prayers.
According to her testimony, the pastor began to manipulate her emotionally and spiritually. He allegedly told her that refusing him would block her blessings and affect her spiritual growth. Confused, afraid, and ashamed, she stayed silent for some time. When she finally spoke up, the case shook churches across Lagos. Police investigations uncovered digital messages, witness accounts, and supporting evidence.
After months of trial, the court found Pastor Fe Daniels guilty. In 2024, he was sentenced to life imprisonment. A man who once preached repentance will now spend his life behind bars.
NUMBER NINE. PASTOR AKOLADE AROWOLO
Pastor Akolade Arowolo was a youth pastor. He was married to Titilayo Arowolo, a young banker. On June 24, 2011, which was also Akolade’s birthday, tragedy struck. Titilayo was found dead in their apartment in Isolo, Lagos. An autopsy conducted by a government pathologist revealed something horrifying. She had been stabbed 76 times.
During trial, Arowolo claimed his wife was possessed by an evil spirit and stabbed herself during a fight. But forensic evidence destroyed his defense. Blood patterns, knife wounds, and expert testimony all pointed to one conclusion. In February 2014, Justice Lateefa Okunnu of the Lagos High Court found him guilty of murder. He was sentenced to death by hanging.
As of 2025, Akolade Arowolo remains in custody at Kirikiri Maximum Prison, where reports say he now preaches to fellow inmates. From pastor to convicted murderer.
NUMBER EIGHT. BISHOP KENNETH DUKE
Bishop Kenneth Duke founded a popular church in Abuja. His congregation included politicians, business leaders, and young professionals. He was known for fiery sermons and prophetic declarations. But behind those sermons were serious crimes.
Several women came forward accusing him of sexual exploitation. They said the bishop claimed evil spirits could only be removed through private prayers and special deliverance sessions.These sessions happened behind locked doors. Investigators uncovered repeated patterns of abuse. Phone records,messages, and testimonies revealed manipulation and coercion. The court found him guilty. Bishop Kenneth Duke was sentenced to prison. From respected bishop to convicted criminal.
NUMBER SEVEN. PASTOR CHIDIEBERE OKOROAFOR
This is one of the most disturbing cases on this list. Pastor Chidiebere Okoroafor was the General Overseer of Altar of Solution and Healing Assembly in Rivers State. In December 2017, three people went missing. They were later found murdered.
Investigations revealed a shocking truth.The victims were: Uluoma Onweagba, his pregnant choir mistress. Ada Chigozie Ezenwa, her friend Christabel, an infant between 9 and 11 months old. The court found that the pastor had impregnated Uluoma and wanted to hide the affair. When she refused abortion, he planned her death.
He lured them into a bush in Oyigbo, pretending to discuss the pregnancy. There, he strangled them and dumped their bodies. Justice Stanley Benson ruled that the prosecution proved the case beyond reasonable doubt, relying heavily on the pastor’s own confessional statements. Pastor Okoroafor was sentenced to death by hanging or lethal injection.
NUMBER SIX. PASTOR FAVOR MAXIS
Pastor Favor Maxis was the General Overseer of Refiners Global Assembly in Calabar, Cross River State. In 2025, the court found him guilty of raping a 16 year old girl. The victim was a minor. A child. According to court records, he used spiritual authority to gain access to her and threatened her with spiritual consequences if she spoke out.Medical reports, witness testimonies, and digital evidence confirmed the crime. The judge described it as wicked and unforgivable. Pastor Favor Maxis was sentenced to life imprisonment.
NUMBER FIVE. EBENEZER ODUNTAN
Ebenezer Oduntan was a former pastor of the City of David Church, a branch of RCCG in Ireland. His crime was not sexual.
It was financial. Between 2012 and 2020, he ran a massive fraud scheme. He stole over €125,000 from church funds. He had sole control of the church accounts and used them like personal property, paying for family expenses, insurance, and private businesses.He was found guilty of 87 criminal charges, including theft, deception, and false company records. In April 2024, he was sentenced to about six years in prison.
NUMBER FOUR. PASTOR ODU
Pastor Odu’s crime shocked the nation. The 45 year old pastor repeatedly raped his 14 year old biological daughter.
Medical examinations confirmed long term abuse. In June 2025, the court convicted him and sentenced him to 53 years imprisonment. A pastor. A father. A predator.NUMBER THREE. ENOCH GBINYIAM
Enoch Gbinyiam was a pastor with Winners Chapel. In 2024, an Ado Ekiti High Court found him guilty of defiling a minor in his church. The victim testified that he used church activities to get close to her and abused her trust. He was sentenced to life imprisonment.NUMBER TWO. PROPHET MICHAEL UURI
Prophet Michael Uuri of the Cherubim and Seraphim Church in Birmingham abused children for over 20 years. Fear kept victims silent. When the truth finally came out, it shocked both Nigeria and the UK. He was arrested, tried, and convicted.
Justice came late, but it came.NUMBER ONE. REVEREND KING
Reverend King committed one of the most horrific crimes in Nigerian church history. He poured petrol on a church member and set her on fire, accusing her of fornication. She suffered for 11 days before dying. The court found him guilty of murder.
Reverend King was sentenced to death.FINAL WORDS
These stories are painful. But silence protects abuse. Faith should heal, not destroy. The pulpit should guide, not trap.
Let victims speak. Let justice stand.Thank you for watching.
