A self proclaimed prophet has been arrested in Imo state for
stealing his church members babies.
Ndubuisi Okeobi, a 43-year-old founder of Divine Order of
Cherubim Church has been nabbed by men of Scorpion
Squad for allegedly specialising in organising crusades where
he invites pregnant women who deliver their babies in his
church and thereafter sells the babies for between N300,000
and N600,000.
As at the time he was arrested at Umuoha in Mbaitoli Local
Government Area of Imo State, more than five babies had
been allegedly stolen and sold by the church leader.
The state Commissioner of Police, Mr. Austin Evbakhavbokun
told Saturday Sun that Prophet Ikeobi was arrested on March
10 following an intelligence report which indicated that the
church founder was working in cahoots with a syndicate which
buys babies from him.
According to the police, the suspect’s modus operandi is to
organise crusades for pregnant women who he would deceive
to deliver their babies in the church to save them from being
possessed by demons. For those that swallowed the bait and
delivered of their babies in the church, the prophet would
allegedly organise the stealing of some of the babies and sell
them to members of a syndicate who buy them for N600,000.
“On 24th January, Prophet Ndubuisi Okeobi stole a baby girl
from her mother and sold her for N600,000 after her mother
delivered her in the church. The woman went to take her bath
after delivery, and when she came back, she discovered that
her baby had been stolen. There was another incident in
February when a baby girl was stolen from her mother, Mrs
Chika Chibuike and sold for N600,000” , the police boss
disclosed.
He said based on reports, he had to direct policemen attached
to the Scorpion Squad of the state police command to track
down the church General Overseer. He was subsequently
arrested with the help of youths when Ikeobi wanted to
escape from Umuoha.
It was gathered that the police was able to recover one of the
stolen babies belonging to Mrs Chika Chibuike and N600,000
cash. After getting her baby from the police, an elated mother,
Mrs Chibuike said: “I am shocked to know Prophet Ndubuisi
Okeobi is into crime. I attend his church, he always organises
crusades for pregnant women where he used to prophesy that
if he doesn’t pray for us, demons will attack our babies” .
On how her baby was stolen, she said: “Prophet Okeobi told
me that I should go and take my bath while my baby was
lying in my room. I delivered my baby inside the church.
Before I came back from where I went to take my bath,
Prophet Ikeobi had taken my baby girl away.
“I had to raise alarm and when Prophet Okeobi wanted to
escape, the youths in Umuoha with the help of the police
arrested him. The police has assisted me to recover my baby
girl.”
Speaking on what transpired, Prophet Okeobi told Saturday
Sun that the allegations against him were true but blamed the
devil for luring him into crime.
“I started my ministry five years ago. I have not stolen more
than five babies during the period. I have taken the police
where we recovered Mrs Chibuike’s baby girl. All the other
ones I sold out, we are still searching for members of the
syndicate I sold them to. I want Nigerians to forgive me”, he
pleaded.