A 63-year-old pastor, Luke Eze, has been remanded in prison custody for allegedly raping two sisters during a supposed deliverance session at his church in Enugu State.
The state Police Public Relations Officer, SP Daniel Ndukwe, in a statement on Tuesday, said the incident happened on September 7, 2025, at City of Hope Ministry, popularly known as Ọkụ Night, which is run by the suspect.
According to the police, the pastor first lured the 16-year-old victim into an “empty-mortar-pounding” ritual, after which he gave her a liquid substance that rendered her unconscious before sexually assaulting her.
When the girl failed to return home, her 19-year-old sister went to the church in search of her and was allegedly subjected to the same ordeal.
“Both victims regained consciousness the following afternoon to find themselves naked, with bloodstains and other physical evidence of the assault,” Ndukwe said, adding that two bottles of the substance used were recovered for forensic analysis.
He further disclosed that the suspect admitted to the offence, blaming his actions on “the devil.”
Following investigations by the Gender and Anti-Human Trafficking Section of the State CID, Eze was arraigned and ordered to be remanded in correctional custody.
The Commissioner of Police, CP Mamman Bitrus Giwa, condemned the act, describing it as “abominable and senseless,” while cautioning the public against falling victim to criminal elements disguising as spiritual leaders.
A similar case was reported in Lagos in 2024, when a Pentecostal pastor, Abraham Olaluwoye, was remanded for allegedly raping a 27-year-old woman under the pretext of assisting her with employment.