A pastor in Anambra State has been detained at the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) of the police for allegedly raping and impregnating a 16-year-old girl in the state.
The pastor, Dozie Ezani, is the general overseer of ‘Jesus Is Ontop Ministry,’ located in Amichi Community in the Nnewi South Local Government Area of the state.
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Mr Ezani is being held at the SCID over the alleged crime, Punch Newspaper reported.
The cleric was said to have been arrested at his poultry farm in Igboukwu, a community in the Aguata Local Government Area of the state.
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The Special Anti-Touting Squad reportedly arrested him for Anambra State (SASA), a vigilante group set up by the state government.
Mr Ezani’s arrest followed a tip-off about his activities.
The spokesperson for the vigilante group, Karen James, interviewed the victim at the group’s headquarters in Onitsha on Friday.
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Mr James told reporters that the suspect was in the habit of raping the girl in his house and at his church located in Amichi and also at his poultry farm in the neighbouring Igboukwu Community.
The spokesperson said the suspect was immediately transferred to the SCID upon his arrest for further interrogation and investigation.
“A security personnel from Igboukwu, where the latest incident occurred, brought in the report of the rape. The security personnel have been observing the pastor’s and the young girl’s suspicious movements before bringing the matter to SASA’s attention.
“On receiving the report, and after due intelligence gathering, SASA operatives stormed the church at Igboukwu, on Monday, to arrest the suspect, where he and the victim were brought to the SASA’s office,” Mr James narrated.
“During interrogation, the victim said she was formerly residing in Lagos, but her aunt brought her back and handed her over to the pastor for ‘special deliverance’, before the suspect started forcefully having sexual intercourse with her, leading to pregnancy.”
The SASA spokesperson said the victim would undergo a medical examination to ascertain the true state of her condition and the extent of “damages” done to her.
He said SASA operatives were still tracking the aunt, said to be on the run.
From special deliverance to serial rape
Speaking to reporters at the SASA’s headquarters in Onitsha on Friday, the victim (name withheld) from Amichi narrated that the pastor began to rape her from November 2025 to date.
She said the pastor began to rape her immediately she arrived at his house for the “special deliverance.”
She recounted that the pastor repeatedly abused her at his church, farm, and residence before being rescued.
The victim admitted being pregnant, but stressed that she is uncertain of the pregnancy because she has been experiencing complications after consuming substances which the pastor gave her.
She appealed to the Anambra State Government, non-governmental organisations, and well-meaning individuals for medical assistance, expressing gratitude to SASA operatives for their intervention.
‘It’s devil’s handiwork,’ – Suspect speaks
Mr Ezani admitted to raping the victim, according to a video clip, which the vigilante group recorded.
The video was recorded during the vigilante group’s briefing to reporters about the incident.
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The pastor attributed the alleged rape incidents to the “devil’s handiwork.”
He said the substances he gave the girl were intended to “address” the pregnancy and offered to cover her medical expenses incurred in the course of her treatment in the hospital.
The SASA Head, Monday Nwokoye, confirmed that the suspect would remain at the SCID custody while investigations continued.
Mr Nwokoye urged communities to report suspicious activities to security agencies.
“The state frowns at such acts, and perpetrators will be brought to justice,” he said.
The police spokesperson in Anambra State, Tochukwu Ikenga, did not respond to a call and WhatsApp message seeking his comments.
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