metro
Pastor in row with husband of church member over paternity of 4-yr-old
Pastor in row with husband of church member over paternity of 4-yr-old
A rancorous scene occurred at the premises of the Cherubim and Seraphim Church, Ona Iye Parish in the Iloye area of Sango-Ota, Ogun State penultimate week as a commercial driver swathed by his family members and associates clashed with the pastor and founder of the church, Prophet Abiodun John, in a scandalous paternity row.
The driver, Badiru Folarin, who is the husband of a female church member brought to the church for spiritual healing, screamed that the pastor claimed ownership of his four-year-old child after he caught him having an illicit affair with his wife, Morufat.
Folarin claimed the pastor’s sexual escapades with his wife was revealed by his 14-year-old son, Saheed, who told him that his mother was always visiting and cooking for the clergyman while he was away and that the cleric in turn visited their home at odd hours.
He said: ”The pastor claimed that my in-law had given my wife to him as his wife. However, the question is, can a woman be given to two men as wife?
”The pastor confronted me to my face that he is the biological father of our last child, a four-year-old. Yet my wife rained curses on me, saying that Ogun (Yoruba god of iron) should strike me dead so she can enjoy her benefactor.
”I am a driver. I never enjoyed my wife at home. She was always away to church for several days in the guise of vigils and special spiritual protection. My mother-in-law was disturbed about my wife’s continuous absence from home under the pretext of participation in church activities.”
Amid the yelling, screaming and cacophony of noise at the scene, Morufat told her husband’s family members and bystanders that she was not in the least prepared to leave her husband, although she conceded the paternity of the child in question to the embattled pastor when asked to choose between the latter and Folarin.
She said: ”No one should blame me for what has happened…and If you all must know, I cannot be married to two men in my life…but my husband is not ready to take care of me, he is a shameless man…I will deal with him when we return home.”
Folarin, however, retorted: ”You cannot come back to my house…anything can happen to you if you come back to my house.”
Recalling how the messy affair between the pastor and her wife began, the father of six said he did not believe that the clergyman was having an affair with his wife when neighbours alerted him until his son tipped him off that his wife was having a tryst with the cleric at his house within the church premises.
Folarin said: ”I did not realise that the pastor was sleeping with my wife.
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“I am a Muslim while my wife is a Christian. She was having some spiritual attacks and went to the church for deliverance.
“Suddenly, she started frequenting the church, and when I heard that she was having an affair with the pastor, I confronted her but she denied it.
”She would send my children to me for upkeep while at the church and I usually sent money to her, not knowing that she was using my money to prepare meal for her pastor-lover.”
”The pastor knows me very well. He had even given me some spiritual items for use that would attract fortune, but my transport business witnessed a reversal of fortune instead.
”I have been married to Morufat for more than 30 years and our first child is 30 years old. I was giving her about N6,000 every day for upkeep.
“When I got home a few days ago, she rained curses on me. Her action got my 14-year-old son, Saheed, angry, and he opened up that his mother had been flirting with the pastor to the extent that she was cooking for the cleric with the money I have been giving her as daily upkeep.
“My son said his mother had just returned from the church where she took food to the pastor shortly before I returned home on that day.
”The pastor told me to my face that he is the biological father of my last child, a daughter (Alimot).
“I gave my wife the sum of N68,000 when she was pregnant with our last child, but she gave the money to the pastor and relocated to the church for several months under the pretext of seeking spiritual protection.
“Along the line, we had accommodation problem, and that was when I gave her money for a new accommodation. Instead, she spent the money on her lover and later claimed she was sick and that she used the money for treatment.
”Again, I got some money and got another apartment for her at Plaza area in Sango-Ota despite her insistence that she did not want me to get another accommodation.
“I warned her against having any close affair with pastor and asked her to stay in the new apartment.
“Surprisingly, she complained she did not like the fact the apartment is in a one-storey building.
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“I would give her N3,000 in the morning and N3,000 in the evening because I usually left home around 5 am to take early turn to pick passengers at the motor park.
“Last week, my son told me that his mother had been with the pastor’s house for four days. I stormed the place and I was shocked to find them together in a room half naked.
“The pastor tied a towel around his waist while my wife also tied a piece of cloth around her waist while she pushed two of my little children to play outside the room.
”She started abusing me and calling me all sort of names. I reported the affair to my wife’s uncle and the old man slapped the pastor for luring my wife to bed to the extent of impregnating her.
“We tried to take my children away from her but she bit off my hand while the pastor claimed that he is the father of my last daughter, who is my sixth child.
“The pastor told all of us at the scene that he is the biological father of my daughter and that I cannot take the girl away from him.
“My wife said she was not ready to leave me and that she cannot also leave her pastor-lover.
“I later discovered that she had aborted a pregnancy for the same pastor some years ago.
“I cannot take my wife back and because the pastor has vowed to deal with me.
“I have 13 siblings and only three of us are the surviving children of my parent.
“I don’t want the pastor to kill me. Nigerians should save me from the ruthless pastor.”
Speaking with our reporter, Saheed, Folarin’s son, who allegedly exposed his mother’s illicit affair with the pastor, said his mother threatened to poison him for exposing her affair with the pastor.
”My mother threatened to poison me for exposing her escapades with the pastor of our church to my father.
“She called me an unfortunate child for telling my father that she even cooked for the pastor.
“I know she attacked me because I knew too much about her secret affair with the pastor.”
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Giving his own side of the story, Pastor John explained that he is the biological father of Morufat’s sixth child.
He said he had been having an on and off affair with the woman in the last 20 years.
He said: ”My name is Prophet John Abiodun, the founder and pastor of Cherubim and Seraphim Church, Orisun Iye Parish.
“I have been dating Morufat for about 20 years now. She told me that her husband abandoned her with two children.
”My church was formerly located in the Ijamido area of Ota before I moved it to Iloye area of Sango-Ota.
“Morufat came to my church about 20 years ago with two young children, Serifat and Saidat, for deliverance and spiritual protection.
“When I noticed that she did not leave after some time, I asked her to bring any of her family members.
”She later invited her aunt called Mama Lekan, who frequently visited her at the church.
“She stayed with me in the church for about six months, during which we started an affair.
“She later left and I did not see her again until about a year later.
”By the time she returned to my church in 2004, she was already pregnant for her husband.
“I reprimanded her for getting pregnant for the same man she had claimed was irresponsible.
”She said her husband had abandoned her again and bolted with a widow.
“I took her to a hospital when she went into labour and carried out special prayers for her and she was safely delivered of the baby. Afterward, I did not see her again.
”I ran into her again when I was supervising the construction of my new church building in the neighbourhood of the apartment where she lives with her husband.
“She later ran to me when she was owing a lender, and that was when we reignited our affair.
”She had a disagreement with her husband and said she was no longer interested in her marriage.
“She said she would have left her husband a long time ago but for her mother’s insistence that she must not leave her husband. By that time, she already had five children.
”My affair with her and the controversial pregnancy led to the separation with my own wife who could not stand it and left me about three years ago.
“Morufat’s mother knows that I am the real father of the baby, and I struck a deal with her mother who was accompanied to my home by one of her friends that I would come back for my daughter when she is 10 years old.
“It was during the discussion that my wife overheard that I was responsible for Morufat’s pregnancy, hence, she quit our marriage.
“It is a pity that Morufat’s mother is not here. I would have challenged her to say the truth.
”I took her(Morufat) on my motorcycle to the hospital when it was time to deliver the baby.
“I paid for her delivery at the hospital, although I heard that her husband had given her the delivery money too before she was discharged from the hospital.
“I was not the one that buried the baby’s placenta: her husband did. However, I am sure that I am the biological father of the girl.”
Prophet Abiodun boasted that he is not ashamed to affirm his affair with Morufat and that she was impregnated by him.
”I can boldly say that I was responsible for the training of some of her children in vocations.
“The husband was not responsible for the upbringing or naming of any of their children.
“Morufat ran to me one day and had a clash with my wife, and that was when my wife took the final decision to leave me.
”I cannot be ashamed to say it anywhere, any day, even it is on a radio programme.
“I named the girl Bose because she was born on Sunday, while her husband named her Shadiat. She was a twins as was revealed to me by ‘God’, but the second child was evacuated from her womb dead.”
Prophet Abiodun, however, added that he cannot take Morufat as wife because of her past relationship with other men.
”I cannot marry Morufat because I know about her journey and some of the men she had dated in the past,” he said.
“I am only claiming my child because I know that she was impregnated by me and I have a scan of the baby.
“Morufat is 46 years old, and she said it in the presence of everyone that I am the real father of her last baby.
“Besides, my family members and hers know that I am the real father of the baby, and I am saying it again that I am not ashamed to say so.”
Pastor in row with husband of church member over paternity of 4-yr-old
metro
Zulum Defends NAF Airstrike, Says Jilli Market Closed Five Years Ago
Zulum Defends NAF Airstrike, Says Jilli Market Closed Five Years Ago
Borno State Governor Babagana Zulum has defended the Nigerian military over a controversial airstrike in Jilli, insisting that the location widely described as a “market” had been shut down for years due to insurgency.
In a statement issued on Sunday by his Special Adviser on Media, Dauda Iliya, the governor said the Jilli market in Gubio Local Government Area—located along the Borno–Yobe border—was officially closed about five years ago as part of security measures to curb terrorist activities.
Zulum described Jilli as a notorious hub allegedly used by insurgents and their logistics networks, stressing that it no longer functioned as a legitimate civilian marketplace.
“I have been properly briefed on the airstrike carried out by the Air Component of Operation Hadin Kai on Jilli market… Let me state categorically that the Borno State Government closed Jilli and Gazabure markets five years ago,” the governor said.
He added that his administration is in active consultation with the Yobe State Government and military authorities to fully assess the situation and ensure proper coordination going forward.
The airstrike, carried out on April 11, 2026, by the Air Component of Operation HADIN KAI in collaboration with the Nigerian Army, reportedly targeted suspected terrorist positions in the area following intelligence reports and earlier operations in the corridor.
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However, initial reports indicated that over 50 people were feared killed, sparking concern over possible civilian casualties and raising questions about the nature of the target.
Eyewitness accounts suggested that the strike hit a location believed by locals to be a weekly trading point, triggering panic among residents as explosions rocked the area.
In response, Zulum emphasised that the Borno State Government maintains strict protocols before reopening markets or resettling communities affected by insurgency, noting that such decisions are made in close coordination with security agencies.
He reiterated his administration’s commitment to protecting civilians while supporting military operations aimed at dismantling insurgent networks across the North-East.
The governor also urged residents to remain vigilant and cooperate with security forces by providing credible intelligence that could aid ongoing counterinsurgency efforts.
Military authorities have yet to release a detailed official report confirming casualty figures or clarifying the full circumstances of the strike.
Security analysts say the incident highlights the complex challenges of counterinsurgency warfare, where distinguishing between civilian activity and insurgent logistics hubs remains difficult, particularly in volatile border communities.
Despite the controversy, the Nigerian military has continued intensified operations across key areas in Borno and neighbouring states, targeting supply routes and strongholds used by extremist groups.
Zulum Defends NAF Airstrike, Says Jilli Market Closed Five Years Ago
metro
BREAKING: Troops Arrest 15-Year-Old Linked to Killing of Gen Braimah in Borno
BREAKING: Troops Arrest 15-Year-Old Linked to Killing of Gen Braimah in Borno
Troops of the Joint Task Force (North East), Operation HADIN KAI (OPHK), have arrested a 15-year-old suspect allegedly involved in the deadly attack that killed Brigadier General Oseni Omoh Braimah, another officer, and two soldiers in Borno State.
The suspect, identified simply as Tijjani, was apprehended on Sunday in Ngamdu while reportedly on an errand to procure food supplies for members of his group.
In a video recorded after his arrest, the teenager confessed to being part of the armed group responsible for coordinated attacks in Benisheik and Ngamdu, areas that have witnessed renewed insurgent activity in recent months.
According to the suspect, the group operated from Jilli, a location described by military sources as a known logistics and movement hub for insurgents in the region. He said they moved from Jilli to carry out the attack and later returned to the same location.
Tijjani further disclosed that he had been sent with about ₦850,000 to collect logistics supplies from Ngamdu before his arrest. He added that he left his colleagues behind at Jilli and was unaware of subsequent developments following the operation.
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The late General Braimah, who commanded the 29 Task Force Brigade under Operation HADIN KAI, was killed on Thursday when suspected Boko Haram fighters launched an assault on a military base in the area. The attack also claimed the lives of another officer and two soldiers, underscoring the persistent threat posed by insurgent groups in the North-East.
Military sources indicate that the arrest of the teenage suspect is part of ongoing intelligence-led operations aimed at dismantling terrorist networks and cutting off their supply chains across Borno State.
Security analysts say the involvement of minors in insurgent activities highlights a disturbing pattern of recruitment by extremist groups, who often deploy young individuals for logistics, surveillance, and operational roles.
The Nigerian military has intensified surveillance and clearance operations across key corridors such as Jilli, Ngamdu, and Benisheik, following recent attacks, with the aim of preventing further assaults and restoring stability in the region.
Authorities have yet to issue a comprehensive official statement on the arrest, but security operations are expected to continue as efforts to track down other members of the group intensify.
The development comes amid renewed commitment by Operation HADIN KAI to sustain pressure on insurgents and disrupt their activities across the North-East.
BREAKING: Troops Arrest 15-Year-Old Linked to Killing of Gen Braimah in Borno
metro
Fayose Warns Makinde May Query Olubadan Over Absence at Ibadan Coronation Event
Fayose Warns Makinde May Query Olubadan Over Absence at Ibadan Coronation Event
Former Ekiti State Governor Ayodele Fayose has suggested that Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde may issue an official query to the Olubadan of Ibadan, Oba Rashidi Ladoja, following his absence at a recent high chiefs’ coronation ceremony in Ibadan.
The event, held at Mapo Hall, saw Governor Makinde present beaded crowns to three newly elevated traditional rulers as part of ongoing chieftaincy reforms in Ibadanland. However, the absence of the Olubadan from the April 3 ceremony has sparked public debate and political reactions.
Fayose, speaking on the development, claimed that the monarch’s absence—reportedly due to a prior engagement in Lagos—alongside other alleged concerns, could prompt a formal government query in the coming days. He did not provide official documentation but insisted the situation could escalate into a government–palace dispute if not carefully managed.
The Olubadan’s palace has already clarified that his absence was not due to any disagreement with the state government, dismissing speculation of a rift between the traditional institution and Governor Makinde’s administration.
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Some critics of the ceremony have also described the event as a “failed coronation,” alleging that the exercise may have cost over ₦1.5 billion, though no official financial breakdown has been released to confirm the claim.
At the time of filing this report, neither the Oyo State Government nor the Olubadan-in-Council had issued an official response to Fayose’s latest comments or the circulating allegations.
The development comes against the backdrop of long-standing sensitivities in Ibadan chieftaincy politics, where traditional authority structures have often intersected with state governance and public debate.
Observers note that Fayose’s intervention adds a new political dimension to an already delicate issue, especially given his history of public disagreements with Governor Makinde during his tenure in Ekiti politics.
For now, the situation remains fluid, with stakeholders calling for restraint and clarification to prevent further escalation between the state government and the traditional institution.
Fayose Warns Makinde May Query Olubadan Over Absence at Ibadan Coronation Event
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