Anambra State Governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, has said there will be no going back in his administration’s move to rid the state of fake pastors and other persons allegedly hiding under religion, culture and tradition to engage in criminal activities.
Soludo, in a statement issued by the Commissioner for Information and Value Reformation, Dr. Law Mefor, said the state government was determined to sanitise Anambra and protect residents from religious manipulation, fraud, extortion and other criminal practices.
According to the statement, the government has extended its “War Against Fake Native Doctors” to fake pastors and other individuals who allegedly masquerade as genuine men and women of God while engaging in criminal acts.
“The Anambra State Government, under the leadership of Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, has extended the ‘War Against Fake Native Doctors’ to fake pastors and other individuals masquerading as genuine men and women of God while engaging in criminal practices,” the statement read.
Mefor said the initiative forms part of the Soludo administration’s broader effort to rid the state of criminality and restore sanity, law and order in both traditional and religious spaces.
“This is part of the efforts of the Solution Government to rid the state of all forms of criminality and sanitise both traditional worship and religious practices, in order to restore sanity, law, and order in the state,” he added.
The government called on residents of Anambra State to provide credible information on pastors, churches or individuals who claim to be men of God but are allegedly involved in criminality, fraud, extortion, deception or acts capable of endangering lives and disturbing the peace of communities.
Soludo assured residents that there would be no sacred cows, irrespective of the church or religious platform involved.
“To this end, the government is calling on Ndị Anambra and all residents of the state with credible information on pastors, churches, or so-called ‘men of God’ involved in criminality, extortion, fraud, deception, or any act that endangers lives and the peace of our communities or misleads the people in the state to please speak up,” the statement said.
The government assured that all information provided would be treated with absolute confidentiality.
Mefor said the exercise should not be seen as an attack on religion or traditional worship, but as a step to protect genuine religious freedom and lawful traditional practices from criminal elements.
He noted that despite criticisms which trailed earlier efforts to clamp down on alleged fake native doctors, the government remained convinced that the operation would protect genuine traditional worshippers and religious leaders.
“Despite the negative claims made during the campaigns against the effort to clean up criminals pretending to be traditional healers and real religious leaders, this effort will actually protect the true freedom of traditional worship and religious practice,” the statement added.
The government urged residents to work with security agencies and the state authorities to expose criminal networks allegedly operating under the cover of religion, culture or tradition.
“Let us work together to take back our state from criminals hiding under religion, culture, and tradition,” the statement said.
Residents with useful information were advised to contact the state government through +2348034182108 or 5111.
