Police in Ebonyi State have arrested the General Overseer of Champions of the Truth Church, Abakaliki, Bishop Samuel Onyeagoziri, over allegations of sexual exploitation.
The cleric was accused by a sickle cell patient, Euphemia Ede, of deceiving her into sexual intercourse under the guise of providing healing for her medical condition.
Ede, who spoke during a recent podcast, alleged that Onyeagoziri had been having sexual relations with her since 2021 when she was still a secondary school student. She said the relationship began after her parents, desperate for a cure, were introduced to the cleric.
According to her, the bishop claimed that sleeping with him for seven consecutive days would change her genotype from SS to AA. She alleged that he broke her virginity in the process and that her health worsened despite repeated encounters.
Ede further alleged that the cleric threatened her life with a rifle, forced her to pose for nude photographs, and refused to delete a sex tape that later went viral.
“People see me smiling in the pictures, but it was out of fear. He said if I didn’t obey, he would kill me,” she recounted.
She claimed that the cleric also attempted to marry her in 2025 despite being married and much older.
The development sparked outrage across Ebonyi State, with calls from residents, rights groups, and Christian leaders for an investigation.
Confirming the arrest on Thursday, the state police spokesperson, SP Joshua Ukandu, said Onyeagoziri was taken into custody on Wednesday following a petition.
“Investigation is ongoing. He is with the police,” Ukandu said.
