The Celestial Church of Christ has distanced itself from a man arrested in Lagos over alleged drug possession, stating that he is not part of its recognised leadership.
The suspect, identified as Afolabi Hodonu, was apprehended by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) alongside his wife.
Reports indicate that the couple was intercepted at the Gbaji checkpoint in Badagry, where officials discovered about 11 kilograms of skunk hidden in compartments of their vehicle.
Hodonu had reportedly introduced himself as the shepherd in charge of a Celestial Church parish located around Agonvi Sea Beach in the Sakpo area along the Seme border.
Reacting to the arrest, NDLEA spokesperson Femi Babafemi said the operation was part of a broader crackdown on drug trafficking in the area. He added that just days earlier, officers had arrested another suspect who allegedly posed as a security agent while transporting illicit substances.
According to him, the suspect, identified as Sunday Samuel, was caught with 24.5 kilograms of skunk at the same checkpoint while en route from the Seme border to Lagos.
In response, the church, through its Head of Media and Publicity, Kayode Ajala, said internal records do not recognise Hodonu or his wife as members of the mainstream Celestial Church.
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He clarified that the couple is not affiliated with the Ketu headquarters of the church led by its spiritual head, Emmanuel Mobiyina Oshoffa.
Ajala also expressed concern over the church’s name being linked to the incident, describing it as unfortunate and misleading.
He added that the church would send a task force team to the Seme–Badagry axis to investigate the matter and establish the facts surrounding the claim.