Anambra State governor, Professor Chukwuma Soludo has made real his threat to bring to book, men of God who are want wanting in the  religious profession, with the arraignment of 8 popular pastors in the State.

Already, the pastors mostly based in Onitsha, the commercial nerve centre of the State were arraigned in a State High Court at state judiciary complex Awka at the instance of the State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Tobechukwu Nweke, SAN, who is leading the prosecution against the suspects. The names of the 8 pastor’s arraigned were given as Peter Chukwu, Chinedu Egwuonwu, Bishop Emeka Nwankpa, Ebele Nnachukwu, Ekeleme Chris Ugochukwu, Ndubisi Nnachukwu, Miracle Iruoma and Chukwukadibia Ogwuama.

In February 2025, the State House of Assembly  passed into law, the Anambra State Homeland  Security Agency  Bill that created State controlled security outfit called Udogachi operating through Agunechemba The law prohibits certain forms of worship and other  religious practices which are considered unwholesome and deceitful especially bordering on wealth acquisition among others.

The Anambra State Homeland Security Law, 2025 (Agunechemba Law) specifically provides for rules affecting religious leaders and religious institutions, as regards their involvement in crime and supernatural activities.

Section 19 criminalizes the use of religious places for unlawful activities and empowers  the Governor to shut down any religious establishment involved in crime.

The law in Section 19(1) also provides for penalty for commitals if crime by religious leaders: ”

“Any person who uses any religious place for the commission or to aid the commission of any crime, commits an offence and is liable on conviction to imprisonment for a term of 6 years with an option of fine of ₦20 million or both” Equally, the law in Section 19(2) enshrines sealing of  rigorous places suspected of being used to commit or aid the commission of any crime may be sealed by the order of the Governor pending the conclusion of investigation..”

In Section 19(3), the law provides fur criminal . Prosecution for religious leaders:

“If after the conclusion of investigation, there exists a prima facie case of the commission or aiding the commission of any crime in such place, any person found culpable shall be charged to court.

“Where a person is charged to court under this section, the property or place involved shall, where sealed, except unsealed by the order of the Governor, remain sealed until the determination of the charge or unless otherwise ordered by the court.” (Section 19(4))

After arresting and prosecuting traditional medicine practitioners, Soludo threatened to look the way of the religious practitioners who, he believed, aid and abet the get-rich-quick prayer syndrome of the  citizens especially the youths and miracle-seeking women.