Police, Cleric Trade Words Over Alleged ₦2m Extortion in Ondo
5th March, 2026
A dispute has erupted between the Ondo State Police Command and a cleric, Prophet Olarewaju Fadahunsi, over allegations of extortion linked to the arrest of pastors accused of staging fake miracles.
The General Overseer of God’s Favourite Ministry, Prophet Fadahunsi, has petitioned the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun, requesting an investigation and probe of the Ondo State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Adebowale Lawal, over an alleged ₦2 million extortion.
In a petition signed by his solicitor, Ibrahim Sulaiman, the cleric alleged that the Commissioner of Police and officers attached to his office extorted ₦2 million from him and five other pastors after their arrest in February 2026.
According to the petition, the pastors were arrested on February 11 at Saint Paul Anglican Church, Odode-Idanre, where they were preparing for a three-day crusade. They were reportedly taken to the State Police Headquarters in Akure and detained for five days without being presented with a warrant of arrest or any formal petition against them.
Fadahunsi alleged that while in detention, the pastors were accused of planning to stage “fake miracles” and were pressured to pay ₦6 million to secure their release. The amount was allegedly reduced to ₦2 million after negotiations.
He further claimed that the money was paid in cash through a Point of Sale operator into a Moniepoint account reportedly bearing the name “Mama Shade Ventures.” An additional ₦300,000 was allegedly given to a police officer as “fuel allowance” before the pastors were released.
The cleric also accused another pastor, identified as Fayegbami, of acting as an informant and allegedly collaborating with some police officers to target pastors organising crusades for extortion.
The petition further alleged that after their lawyer wrote to police authorities demanding redress, the pastors were re-arrested and compelled to sign an undertaking not to pursue further action against the Commissioner of Police. Two vehicles said to belong to the pastors were also reportedly impounded.
Fadahunsi urged the Inspector-General of Police to mandate a Deputy Inspector-General of Police to conduct an independent investigation and ensure that any officer found culpable is sanctioned in accordance with the law.
However, the Ondo State Police Command has denied the allegations, describing the arrest as lawful and conducted in accordance with due process.
In a statement, the Command said the arrest of six suspected fraudsters linked to an alleged miracle scam in Idanre followed established criminal investigation procedures and that no operational guidelines were violated.
According to the police, the suspects voluntarily made confessional statements in both written and video-recorded formats, admitting involvement in the alleged offence. The Command said the statements were obtained in line with legal provisions and would form part of the evidence during prosecution.
Despite the denial, the police said the allegation had been formally noted and that a thorough, impartial and transparent investigation had been ordered to establish the facts of the matter.
The Command also called on the aggrieved parties to provide detailed information and any supporting evidence to assist the ongoing investigation.
The Commissioner of Police, Adebowale Lawal, also denied directing anyone to collect money on his behalf, stressing that such conduct contradicts the ethical standards of the Nigeria Police Force and the Command’s zero-tolerance policy on corruption and misconduct.
The Ondo State Police Command reaffirmed its commitment to community-centred policing and the protection of lives and property, assuring the public that any officer found culpable after investigation would face disciplinary action in accordance with the law.
The Command also urged members of the public to continue cooperating with the police and to report credible information or complaints through appropriate channels to help maintain peace, security and public trust.
