Police nab cleric, two others over ex-LASU student’s disappearance

The Police in Lagos have confirmed the arrest of the shepherd of the Celestial Church of Christ, LASU II Parish, Evangelist Whepetoji Babaniyeh, and two others over the missing of the former student of Lagos State University (LASU), Adedamola Ogunbode.

Spokesperson for the command, Benjamin Hundeyin, who confirmed the development noted that the Command had sealed the church.

He, however, did not confirm if the missing 28-year-old graduate of LASU was murdered.

Hundeyin said that the church where some people alleged that the missing boy was killed and buried was sealed to prevent it from being burnt, as residents threatened to set the church ablaze.

“The church was sealed following intelligence reports that some people planned to burn it down out of vengeance and we do not want that to happen.

“It is still a suspected crime scene that we still need to go over. We may need to revisit that scene multiple times for us to gather evidential value.

“We assure the public that updates will be given about the investigation and the progress we have made as soon as we get new updates.”

“We have three suspects in our custody, the pastor and two others, and the case is ongoing at the State Criminal Investigation Department(SCID),” he said.

According to him, efforts are underway to apprehend five other suspects; two of the five suspects are outside the country.

Ogunbode left his business centre, Horlar Edu Consultancy, on LASU campus, January 16, 2025, but failed to return home.

It was alleged that his girlfriend had informed the authorities that Ogunbode called her on the day he went missing and also called her when he arrived at the church.

The information led investigators to begin a deeper inquiry into the church’s activities and Adedamola’s sudden disappearance.

In the course of the investigation, agents visited the shepherd of the Church, who denied seeing Adedamola the day he disappeared.

However, security agents discovered that a N1.5 million was transferred from the former student’s account on the day he went missing.

And when they probed the receiving account it turned out to be that of the Shepherd, his daughter and two other individuals associated with the shepherd.

At first, the shepherd denied receiving the money but when agents showed him the statement of account, he claimed the missing man transferred it to him as a thanksgiving offering.

He was arrested and detained for further investigation.

He was arrested on January 31, after the matter was reported at the Ojo Police Division before it was transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Panti, Yaba, Lagos.

However, a report that the body of the missing person was exhumed from the church turned out to be false.

Speaking with The Guardian, his brother, Ademola Juwon Taiwo, said: “It’s fake news. My brother has not been found; the police have not said anything about it.

“The prophet knows the guys accused of kidnapping him, hence he was being detained.