Anambra Arraigns Eight Pastors for Violating Homeland Security Law 2025

AWKA, Nigeria – The Anambra State Government on Friday, June 5, 2026, arraigned eight pastors before a High Court sitting in Awka, the state capital, for alleged violations of the state’s Homeland Security Law, 2025. The pastors, who were arrested in Onitsha, Awka and other parts of the state, were brought before the court by operatives of the state security outfit, Agunechemba, led by the Special Adviser to the Governor on Security, Ken Emeakayi. The eight pastors arraigned are Peter Chukwu, Chinedu Egwuonwu, Bishop Emeka Nwankpa, Ebele Nnachukwu, Ekeleme Chris Ugochukwu, Ndubisi Nnachukwu, Miracle Iruoma and Chukwukadibia Ogwuama. The State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Tobechukwu Nweke, SAN, is personally leading the prosecution of the suspects. Proceedings had commenced as of the time of filing this report.

The Anambra State Homeland Security Law was passed in February 2025 and signed by Governor Chukwuma Soludo to combat rising insecurity across the state. The law established the Agunechemba security outfit, a community-based security structure operating at state, local government, and community levels across the 179 communities in Anambra. The outfit was launched with 2,000 personnel and 200 operational vehicles to strengthen grassroots policing and crime-fighting efforts. The law specifically frowns upon certain forms of religious practices deemed inimical to the public, particularly those relating to illegal wealth creation and get-rich-quick rituals. According to the state government, the crackdown targets individuals who operate under the guise of religion to exploit the public and empower criminal networks across the state. The government has identified certain religious figures—fake pastors, native doctors (dibias), and juju priests—as key enablers of criminality.

READ ALSO:

• Supreme Court Affirms Death Sentence for Delta Kidnapper
• 49 Die of Thirst in Niger’s Sahara Desert After Truck Breakdown
• MFM Suspends Nationwide Night Vigils, Sets 8pm Cut-Off for Church Activities

The arraignment of the eight pastors is part of a wider state-wide crackdown on fake pastors, native doctors, and spiritualists engaged in questionable practices. This follows similar arrests and prosecutions last year of native doctors who were promoting get-rich-quick practices (Okeite rituals), with some already serving jail terms while others are currently undergoing trials. Ejimofor Opara, Media Adviser to Governor Soludo, confirmed the development and described the clerics as “fake pastors” who violated provisions of the recently enacted security law. The government has also shut down churches involved in controversial Oke-ite rituals. The Children of the Light Anointing Ministry, run by Pastor Onyebuchi Okocha (Onye Eze Jesus) in Nkpor, was sealed by Agunechemba operatives, who found substances, including containers with suspected ritual items, at the premises.

Speaking recently at St. Patrick’s Cathedral, Awka, during the All Knights Day of the Catholic Diocese of Awka, Governor Soludo explained the rationale behind the crackdown, stating that it targets social reformation and protecting vulnerable residents from religious exploitation. “The state has commenced an ongoing crackdown on fake pastors who exploit the vulnerable by preaching the gospel of salvation without the cross. As I speak now, several of them are already in custody and confessing,” Soludo said. The governor emphasized that the action forms part of the mission to build a new Anambra free from deception and social vices, adding: “A new Anambra is in the offing, which must be clean and clear of such deception. We are reinforcing the church’s teaching that hard work pays and not the other way round.”

The Agunechemba security outfit was established following an upsurge in crimes like kidnapping, armed robbery, cultism, touting, and criminal idolatry that had given rise to a culture celebrating wealth without enterprise. Before the state’s intervention, kidnapping had reached an alarming level in Anambra. According to a report by SBM Intelligence, Anambra ranked highest in ransom payments among 27 Nigerian states between July 2023 and July 2024, with a staggering N350 million paid to kidnappers. As part of the crackdown, the state government has arrested no fewer than 30 native doctors, including some fake pastors and notable figures said to be preparing charms for criminals. Among the notable native doctors arrested were Chidozie Nwangwu (widely known as ‘Akwa Okuko Tiwaraki’) and Eke Hit. Governor Soludo has defended the security measures, stating that there is a strong link between drug use, ritual practices, and crime in the state. According to him, one of the recently arrested native doctors was responsible for preparing anti-gunshot charms for criminals. “They (native doctors) are at the root of insecurity in our society today. They make people believe they can obtain power and success through charms without hard work. They have ruined many young lives,” Soludo said.

The eight pastors remain in custody as the state government continues its prosecution. The Attorney General’s personal handling of the case underscores the importance the Soludo administration places on enforcing the Homeland Security Law. The government has reiterated its commitment to ensuring that anyone who violates the state’s security laws, particularly under the guise of religious practice, will face the full weight of the law. The crackdown has significantly reduced criminal activities in the state, with cases of kidnapping and other crimes—which were previously on the rise—beginning to decline.

Anambra Arraigns Eight Pastors for Violating Homeland Security Law 2025

49 Die of Thirst in Niger’s Sahara Desert After Truck Breakdown

AGADEZ, Niger – At least 49 people have died of thirst in a remote part of the Sahara Desert in northern Niger after the truck transporting them broke down, authorities confirmed on Thursday, June 4, 2026. The victims, all Nigerien nationals, were returning from Mali where they had attended a Muslim religious festival and were heading home to celebrate with their families. Officials in Agadez said the travellers reportedly exhausted their water supply after becoming stranded in the desert for several days. The incident occurred more than 80 kilometers (50 miles) west of Assamaka, a major border crossing point between Niger and Algeria, near the tri-border area where Niger, Mali, and Algeria meet. The vehicle had departed from the Malian town of Telhandek, located approximately 300 kilometers (187 miles) from the Nigerien border.

The Agadez Region Governorate, which announced the disaster in a statement on its Facebook page, explained that the truck had been traveling for several days through the desert before it broke down. According to reports, the driver may have veered away from the intended route before the vehicle became incapacitated. For several days, the driver, his apprentice, and the passengers made repeated attempts to repair the vehicle, but their efforts ultimately proved unsuccessful. “Deprived of water and unable to repair the vehicle despite the efforts of the driver, his apprentice and passengers, travellers found themselves trapped in the heart of a hostile environment where extreme temperatures and the absence of supply points make survival extremely difficult,” the governorate said. The remote location, characterized by extreme heat and a complete lack of water sources, made any hope of rescue nearly impossible. With an estimated area of 8.6 million square kilometers, the Sahara Desert is considered the hottest desert in the world and one of the most perilous for migrants.

READ ALSO:

• MFM Suspends Nationwide Night Vigils, Sets 8pm Cut-Off for Church Activities
• Nigeria to Evacuate Over 1,000 Citizens as Anti-Migrant Violence Spreads in South Africa
• Court Reserves Ruling on Blessing CEO’s Bail Application in N36m Fraud Case

Only two people survived the ordeal. According to authorities, the two men, named by local media as Mohamed Bachir Souley and Issa Omar, managed to trek more than 50 kilometers (31 miles) on foot across the scorching desert to reach a water source, then continued to the locality of Assamaka, where they raised the alarm. When a delegation sent by Agadez Region Governor General Ibra Boulama Issa finally reached the scene, they found a deeply disturbing sight. “On the spot, the findings were particularly disturbing. Dozens of lifeless bodies were found under the immobile truck and in its surroundings,” the Agadez governorate said. Photographs published by the governorate showed bodies lying in the desert sand with pieces of clothing and other belongings scattered around. The 49 victims were buried in mass graves at the scene in what officials described as a “particularly delicate and emotionally exhausting task” carried out by survivors and rescue workers.

While returning from the scene, the rescue team encountered another broken-down truck carrying more than 60 passengers. This second vehicle had set off from the Malian town of Harouba, more than 300 kilometers (186 miles) from the Niger border, and had been stranded for three days without water after suffering a battery failure. According to the Agadez municipal government, the rescue team, which included Nigerien troops, distributed water to the “exhausted and distressed travellers” and helped repair the vehicle, allowing them to safely resume their journey. The Agadez governor noted that this second rescue operation “narrowly avoided another tragedy” as the team had taken an alternative route back to Assamaka.

The desert zone in Niger remains a major transit corridor for migrants from across West Africa attempting to reach North Africa and ultimately Europe. Despite repeated tragedies and constant risks—including vehicle breakdowns, abandonment by smugglers, lack of water, and extreme climate conditions—thousands continue to attempt the crossing each year. According to the collective of associations “Alarme Phone Sahara,” which advocates for people on the move in the Sahel-Sahara region, at least 35 migrants lost their lives in the Sahara desert throughout 2025 alone. The International Organization for Migration (IOM) reports that more than 7,000 people have died or been reported missing attempting to cross the Sahara, in many cases with the intention of reaching North African countries before attempting the Mediterranean crossing to Europe. Many Nigeriens travel to Mali to work in artisanal gold mining sites in towns like Harouba, risking the dangerous desert journey to earn a living.

The Agadez Region Governorate has deployed investigators to the scene to determine the exact circumstances of the tragedy. In a statement, the governor highlighted that this disaster underscores the “vulnerability of young people engaged in migratory and cross-border economic activities, often forced to pass through unstable areas in order to survive or seek better living conditions.” The Agadez region, often called the “gateway to the Sahara,” remains a perilous crossing point. “We must emphasize that the route is dangerous,” the Agadez authorities said. “Vulnerable young people are often forced to traverse unsafe areas to survive or seek better living conditions.”

49 Die of Thirst in Niger’s Sahara Desert After Truck Breakdown

MFM Suspends Nationwide Night Vigils, Sets 8pm Cut-Off for Church Activities

The Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries (MFM) has directed all its branches across Nigeria to suspend night vigils and ensure that all church programmes and activities end by 8:00pm, citing rising security concerns in parts of the country.

The directive was contained in an internal circular dated June 5, 2026, and signed by the church’s Director of Administration (International Headquarters and Nigeria), Temitope A. Olawale.

According to the circular, the decision was taken as a precautionary measure to safeguard members, pastors, and church workers amid increasing security risks across Nigeria, including reports of kidnapping incidents, armed attacks, and other threats linked to night movement in some regions.

The church instructed all levels of leadership, including Principal Regional Overseers, Senior Regional Overseers, Mega Regional Overseers, Zonal Pastors, Branch Pastors, and other officers, to ensure full compliance with the directive across all branches.

READ ALSO:

• Nigeria to Evacuate Over 1,000 Citizens as Anti-Migrant Violence Spreads in South Africa
• Court Reserves Ruling on Blessing CEO’s Bail Application in N36m Fraud Case
• UK Tightens Immigration Rules, Threatens Universities Over Foreign Student Recruitment

Under the new policy, all church services, prayer meetings, fellowship programmes, and other activities at every level of the ministry must now be concluded no later than 8:00pm.

The ministry also confirmed the immediate suspension of all overnight vigils and similar night prayer programmes nationwide until further notice.

However, the leadership stated that where necessary, vigils may be converted into evening prayer sessions, provided such programmes end before the 8:00pm deadline.

MFM stressed that the measure is purely precautionary and not intended to disrupt worship activities, but to prioritise the safety and well-being of members in light of the prevailing security situation in Nigeria.

The circular further directed Mega Regional Overseers to communicate the directive to all regional, zonal, and local branches for immediate enforcement.

The directive takes immediate effect and will remain in force pending further review by the church leadership.

MFM Suspends Nationwide Night Vigils, Sets 8pm Cut-Off for Church Activities