A feminine sickle cell affected person, Euphemia Ede, has accused a well-liked bishop of deceiving her into having intercourse with him as a method of serving to her to get therapeutic from her situation.
The cleric, Samuel Onyeagoziri, is the overall overseer of Champions of the Reality Church in Abakaliki, the Ebonyi State capital.
Ms Ede, whereas showing as a visitor in a podcast lately, claimed the cleric had been sleeping along with her since 2021 whereas she was nonetheless a secondary college scholar.
A video clip of the podcast was uploaded on Fb on Monday.
PREMIUM TIMES understands that Ms Ede’s feedback got here shortly after a intercourse tape involving her and the cleric went viral.
Mr Onyeagoziri, in keeping with Ms Ede, had claimed the intercourse tape was an “AI manipulation.”
“It’s not AI generated. I’m the lady in that video. I’ve been begging him to delete it since 2021, however he refused. Now he’s mendacity to cowl up,” Ms Ede mentioned in the course of the podcast interview.
Sickle cell issues
Ms Ede, within the podcast, recalled that she had misplaced three of her siblings resulting from sickle cell issues.
She mentioned her dad and mom have been determined to save lots of her from the same destiny once they have been launched to the cleric, apparently for “non secular answer.”
In keeping with her, the cleric promised therapeutic however insisted that the one “treatment” was for her to sleep with him for seven consecutive days.
Ms Ede, then a virgin in senior secondary college 3, mentioned she reluctantly agreed out of worry for her life and within the hope for therapeutic.
“He informed me that after he sleeps with me (for) seven days, my genotype will change from SS to AA. He even mentioned many individuals had been healed that method.
“I used to be determined, my dad and mom have been determined, and so I had no choice. He’s the one which broke my virginity,” she recounted tearfully.
She mentioned, opposite to Mr Onyeagoziri’s claims, her situation didn’t change regardless of having repeated sexual activity with the cleric.
Ms Ede mentioned her sickle cell disaster worsened as an alternative at the same time as she remained within the bishop’s home underneath threats.
The sufferer additional alleged that the bishop threatened her life with a rifle and compelled her to pose for nude images in the course of the encounters.
“Individuals see these photos and say I used to be smiling, however they don’t understand it was out of worry. He mentioned if I didn’t obey, he would kill me and nobody would know what occurred,” she mentioned within the podcast.
‘Threats to marry’
Ms Ede mentioned she had tried to depart the cleric’s home between 2021 and 2025, however the cleric usually resisted whereas threatening her and her household.
The sufferer mentioned the matter escalated in 2025 when the cleric allegedly demanded to marry her regardless of being a married man and sufficiently old to be her grandfather.
The event has elicited widespread criticism throughout Ebonyi State with many residents calling on legislation enforcement businesses, the Christian Affiliation of Nigeria, and girls’s rights teams to research and prosecute the cleric.
Arrest
Mr Onyeagoziri was later arrested on Wednesday at his residence in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State capital, PREMIUM TIMES gathered.
Our reporter noticed the cleric whereas he was writing his assertion on Thursday morning on the workplace of the Crack Crew of the police within the police headquarters in Abakaliki.
READ ALSO: How pastor allegedly raped two sisters in his church Police
When contacted on Thursday, the police spokesperson within the state, Joshua Ukandu, confirmed the arrest of the cleric to PREMIUM TIMES.
Mr Ukandu, a superintendent of police, mentioned the cleric was arrested in response to a petition towards him on the matter.
“(The) investigation is ongoing. So, he’s with the police,” he mentioned.
PREMIUM TIMES couldn’t attain Mr Onyeagoziri for his feedback as of the time of this report.
