An acclaimed pastor of a local church in Bayelsa State is in the EFCC net after swindling his member in a N1.8 billion contract scam
BY DELE OYEWALE//PORT HARCOURT
He is no doubt one of the fake pastors that have of recent been prowling the streets like “roaring lions looking for whom to devour”. James Ezekiel, the self-acclaimed “Presiding Pastor” of One Touch Power Ministry, Agudama, Epie, a community in Bayelsa State, is in EFCC dragnet for a N1.8 billion contract scam.
He was arrested after his victim approached the anti-graft agency for help to recover the N1.3 million he was deceived to pay as part of funds to finance the contract. It turned out to
be a fraud. Ezekiel claimed to have won the contract for the roofing of a cathedral belonging to the Salvation Ministries in Port Harcourt, Rivers State. He showed a contract award letter to his victim, and cajoled him to collaborate with him as one of the “financiers” of the contract. He allegedly promised the victim mouth-watering interests on his “investment”. But it never materialized.
Investigations, however, showed that the Salvation Ministries did not award any contract to Ezekiel and no transfer of N800 million as he claimed was made to him. He will soon be
charged to court.
• EFCC Alert