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New converts stab RCCG pastor to death in Lagos church

Published

5 years ago

December 9, 2021

Pastor Babatunde Dada

Suspected hoodlums have attacked and killed a pastor of the Redeemed Christian Church of God in FESTAC Town, in the Amuwo Odofin Local Government Area of Lagos State.

Our correspondent gathered that the victim, Pastor Babatunde Dada, was killed inside the RCCG Chapel of Resurrection on 13 Road, 6th Avenue, FESTAC Town.

The killing, which happened on Thursday, December 2, was said to have been perpetrated by two new converts who came to the church for the first time a Sunday before the incident.

The two youths were said to have come out during an altar call and surrendered their lives to Jesus.

The church accommodated them on its premises after they claimed to be stranded.

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They had barely spent a week in the church when they reportedly stabbed the cleric to death.

A senior pastor in the church, Akin Odejare, declined comment on the incident when contacted by PUNCH Metro.

However, the wife of the pastor, Bose, told our correspondent on the phone that she called her husband on the day of the incident and he promised to come home to rest.

She said, “My husband was killed on December 2 at the church. He was the admin/accounts officer, as well as the parish pastor. I was not with him when he was killed, but I was told that they collected money from him. I heard that those who killed him were new converts.”

A family member, who is also a security expert, Mr Abolarinwa Olatunbosun, told our correspondent on Wednesday that the pastor was killed after withdrawing money from a bank.

He said, “The pastor went to a bank to withdraw some money and went to rest on the first floor of the church. Two persons said to be new converts went to meet him upstairs, broke his head and killed him.

“The matter was reported to the police and one of the suspects, who ran to Ilorin, has been arrested.”

Olatunbosun said the killing might be for ritual purposes, adding that the assailants were suspected Internet fraudsters, aka Yahoo boys.

The expert said criminals were beginning to attack churches and pastors because they believed there was money in church.

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He advised religious centres to be security conscious and put in place strategies that could stop criminals from killing, kidnapping and robbing leaders and worshippers.

A friend of the slain pastor, Fred Enemigin, who is the founder, Highflyers International, Lagos, said in a Facebook post that the pastor was stabbed multiple times.

He wrote, “Two boys had come to church last Sunday and they responded to the altar call by giving their lives to Christ. After church service, they waited to see the head pastor and told him that they were stranded without any place to stay.

“On compassionate grounds, the pastor allowed them to stay somewhere within the church premises pending when they would be resettled. Pastor Tunde Dada, who had for almost a decade been the accountant of RCCG Chapel of Resurrection Parish, was assigned to provide needed welfare for the boys until their matter would be sorted.

“On the fateful Thursday, Tunde was seated in his office and the boys targeting that they were alone on the church premises with him, entered his office and attacked him with knives and other sharp weapons. He was stabbed multiple times and places until they had him killed right there on the spot.

“Our minds are still searching for what the rift between the boys and Tunde was considering the fact that the Tunde we knew was a very gentle soul. Could they have asked for more welfare than what was approved for them and Tunde declined? What on earth would warrant this brutal killing by those who were recipients of a server of the church’s benevolence? There are many more questions that we have not found answers to.”

The state Police Public Relations Officer, Adekunle Ajisebutu, said he had yet to be briefed about the case.

Punch

Related Topics:church death Featured Lagos New converts pastor RCCG

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Diezani Must Return to Nigeria, Face EFCC Cases — Laolu Akande

Published

7 hours ago

June 19, 2026

Trends Admin

Former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Allison-Madueke

Diezani Must Return to Nigeria, Face EFCC Cases — Laolu Akande

Former presidential spokesman Laolu Akande has urged former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke, to return to Nigeria and defend herself against pending corruption allegations and EFCC cases, despite her recent legal outcome in the United Kingdom.

Akande made the call during a monitored interview on Friday, describing the UK court’s decision as “exciting news,” but stressing that it does not end or override ongoing proceedings in Nigeria.

Akande said the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) still has active cases involving Diezani, including court-ordered asset forfeitures linked to alleged proceeds of corruption. He maintained that while foreign court rulings may influence public perception, they do not conclude domestic legal processes, especially where Nigerian courts are still reviewing related matters. He argued that the former minister should return home and allow the Nigerian judiciary to fully determine the outstanding allegations, insisting that only a local court judgment can provide final closure.

He also revisited controversies surrounding Nigeria’s oil sector during Diezani’s tenure as petroleum minister, particularly the strategic alliance agreements involving the Nigerian Petroleum Development Company (NPDC). Akande alleged that crude oil worth about $3 billion was sold under arrangements that did not involve proper payment of royalties or taxes. He added that these issues remain part of public records and investigations, though they are still subject to legal scrutiny and not fully resolved in court.

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He further claimed that documents reviewed during his time in government pointed to transactions involving Diezani and other individuals, adding that these matters require judicial determination in Nigeria.

Akande insisted that if Diezani believes the UK ruling supports her innocence, she should return to Nigeria and face the EFCC corruption trials to clear her name once and for all. He said allowing Nigerian courts to decide the pending cases would help resolve one of the country’s most high-profile corruption controversies and strengthen accountability in public service.

Diezani Alison-Madueke, who served under former President Goodluck Jonathan, has faced multiple corruption allegations in Nigeria and abroad since leaving office in 2015. She has consistently denied wrongdoing, while several asset recovery and forfeiture proceedings have been carried out by Nigerian authorities over the years.

Akande’s remarks have further intensified public debate over whether foreign court outcomes should influence domestic corruption cases involving former public officials.

Diezani Must Return to Nigeria, Face EFCC Cases — Laolu Akande

metro

EFCC to Probe Adeyanju, VeryDarkMan Over Alleged Terror Financing, Funding Sources

Published

7 hours ago

June 19, 2026

Trends Admin

Martins Vincent Otse (VeryDarkMan) and Deji Adeyanju

EFCC to Probe Adeyanju, VeryDarkMan Over Alleged Terror Financing, Funding Sources

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is reportedly set to begin a preliminary investigation into activist-lawyer Deji Adeyanju and social media influencer Martins Vincent Otse (VeryDarkMan) over allegations linked to terror financing claims, illicit funding channels, and suspected financial irregularities.

The development follows a petition submitted on June 17, 2026, by lawyer Blessing Agbomhere, which called on the EFCC to scrutinise the sources of funding behind their activism, public campaigns, legal interventions, and media engagements.

In the petition, Agbomhere urged the anti-graft agency to conduct a detailed review of the duo’s bank accounts, financial transactions, personal and associated business assets, sponsorship arrangements, and possible foreign or third-party inflows. He argued that while freedom of expression and public advocacy are constitutionally protected rights, the scale and visibility of their campaigns raise concerns that warrant regulatory examination.

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The petitioner further noted that, in some global cases, undisclosed funding structures have been used to influence public opinion or weaken institutions. Based on this, he urged authorities to determine whether any similar risks exist in relation to the individuals involved.

The petition also called on the EFCC to work alongside relevant security and intelligence agencies to assess whether any of the funds in question could pose a threat to national security.

While the EFCC has not confirmed any formal charges, reports suggest the agency is reviewing the petition and may commence preliminary financial investigations, which typically involve verifying claims, tracing financial flows, and assessing compliance with anti-money laundering laws and financial regulations.

At this stage, no indictment has been filed, and the allegations remain unproven.

Both Adeyanju and VeryDarkMan are prominent figures in Nigeria’s civic and digital activism space, known for their outspoken criticism of government policies and institutions. Their activities have often attracted both strong public support and controversy.

The petition itself clarified that it does not amount to an allegation of guilt but is intended to promote transparency and accountability. It added that if the EFCC finds all funding sources to be legitimate, it would help clear doubts and reinforce public trust in their activities.

EFCC to Probe Adeyanju, VeryDarkMan Over Alleged Terror Financing, Funding Sources

metro

Tinubu Approves Six-Month Extension for Nigeria Customs Chief

Published

7 hours ago

June 19, 2026

Trends Admin

Comptroller-General of Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Bashir Adewale Adeniyi

Tinubu Approves Six-Month Extension for Nigeria Customs Chief

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved a six-month extension for the tenure of the Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Adewale Adeniyi, extending his leadership of the agency until February 2027.

The extension takes effect from August 1, 2026, when his current tenure was originally expected to end.

According to a statement issued by the Presidency through the Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, the decision is aimed at ensuring continuity in ongoing reforms within the Customs Service, particularly the full rollout of the National Single Window project, a major digital trade facilitation system designed to streamline import and export processes in Nigeria.

The Presidency explained that the extension will also allow Adeniyi to consolidate improvements in revenue generation, border management, and anti-smuggling operations, while ensuring a structured and orderly transition in the leadership of the service.

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During the extended period, Adeniyi is expected to work closely with the Customs Service Board to oversee key administrative processes, including the promotion of eligible officers to the rank of Comptroller of Customs, as well as the retirement of officers who have reached the mandatory age of 60 years or completed 35 years in service. These steps are part of wider efforts to strengthen institutional stability within the agency.

Adeniyi, an alumnus of Obafemi Awolowo University, joined the Nigeria Customs Service in the late 1980s and has spent decades rising through the ranks. His career progression includes promotion to Deputy Comptroller in 2012, Comptroller in 2017, Assistant Comptroller-General in 2020, and Acting Deputy Comptroller-General in January 2023 before his appointment as Comptroller-General by President Tinubu in June 2023.

Since assuming office, he has led reforms focused on modernising Customs operations, strengthening border security, improving compliance systems, and boosting non-oil revenue generation for the federal government.

The extension is widely viewed as part of the administration’s broader strategy to stabilise key revenue-generating agencies and sustain ongoing digital transformation efforts across Nigeria’s trade and border control systems.