Celestial Church Distances Self from Suspected Drug Trafficker Arrested in Lagos

The Celestial Church of Christ has dissociated itself from a man arrested in Lagos over alleged possession of illicit drugs, insisting he is not a recognised member or leader within the church.

The suspect, identified as Afolabi Hodonu, was apprehended alongside his wife by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) at the Gbaji checkpoint in Badagry. Authorities reportedly uncovered about 11 kilograms of skunk concealed in compartments within their vehicle.

Hodonu was said to have claimed he was a shepherd in charge of a Celestial Church parish located around Agonvi Sea Beach in the Sakpo area along the Seme border.

Confirming the development, NDLEA spokesperson Femi Babafemi said the arrest was part of intensified operations targeting drug trafficking along the Badagry axis. He added that the agency had, days earlier, intercepted another suspect, Sunday Samuel, who allegedly posed as a security operative while transporting 24.5 kilograms of skunk along the same route.

Reacting to the incident, the church, through its Head of Media and Publicity, Kayode Ajala, stated that internal records do not recognise Hodonu or his wife as members of the mainstream church.

Ajala further clarified that the couple has no affiliation with the church’s Ketu headquarters led by its spiritual leader, Emmanuel Mobiyina Oshoffa.

He described the association of the church’s name with the incident as misleading and unfortunate, adding that a task force would be deployed to the Seme–Badagry corridor to investigate the matter and verify claims surrounding the suspect’s identity.