A Nigerian pastor, Theo O Ebonyi, renowned in Benue state, has been arrested for allegedly defrauding people of over 1.3 billion naira ($930,000; £740,000).
The arrest occurred last year, but the information has only recently been disclosed, according to a spokesperson for the anti-corruption authority.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) accuses Mr. Ebonyi of deceiving his followers and others by soliciting a $1,300 fee from each victim to access a purported $20 billion grant from the US-based Ford Foundation.
However, investigations revealed that the foundation had no such grant arrangement with Mr. Ebonyi.
The EFCC claims Mr. Ebonyi, who leads the Faith on the Rock Ministry International church, utilized the fraudulently obtained funds to acquire five properties.
Charges against him will be determined once the investigations are concluded, and he is set to face court proceedings.
Responding to the allegations, Mr. Ebonyi dismissed the news as “fake” information spread by bloggers.
In a video statement posted on Facebook, he asserted that the reports were fabricated by bloggers attempting to exploit his situation for financial gain.
EFCC spokesperson Dele Oyewale clarified that Mr. Ebonyi had been arrested and subsequently released on bail last year.
Oyewale explained that due to the ongoing investigation, the commission refrained from issuing statements about the arrest for an extended period.
Source-BBC
