Arrested By Police Over Mysterious Death Inside Church In Lagos

The police in Lagos have arrested the pastor of a
Pentecostal church, Popoola Oluwasomidotun,
for the death of one Waheed Majekodumi in the
Ipaja area of Lagos State.
PUNCH Metro learnt that the 32-year-old victim
was found dead in the church auditorium on
Thursday, last week, at the Peace Estate, Baruwa,
Ipaja.
It was learnt that the father of four had entered
the church on the fateful day, crying for help.
He was said to have suddenly collapsed on the
floor and died.
Policemen from the Ipaja division were said to
have been invited. They arrested the pastor and
another member of the church, Folashade Ebun.
Ebun said she was on the church premises when
the deceased entered the church.
The mother of three said the deceased, who lived
in the Abule area of Ipaja and worked in a block
moulding factory, had run into the church for
help.
She said, “That Thursday morning, I was
sweeping the church auditorium in readiness for
a programme. While sweeping, a man ran into
the church, crying for help.
"He was shouting 'pastor help me o, I will die o'. I
thought someone was chasing him, but I later
discovered he was alone.
"He fell to the ground and I quickly called the
pastor, who came in almost immediately.
"Sincerely, we have nothing to do with his death.
I have confidence in the God that we serve. He
will vindicate us."
Twenty-seven-year old Oluwasomidotun told
our correspondent he was preparing for a church
meeting when Ebun, who lives in the church,
called him.
He said, "I am the presiding pastor of the church
and I also live on the church premises. On that
day, I was preparing for a programme when I
heard Folashade (Ebun) shouting, ‘pastor, come
and help’.
“I ran into the church auditorium. I saw her
standing next to a man on the ground.
“She told me that the man ran into the church
calling for help, and that he suddenly slumped
and died.”
The pastor said the owner of the church later
advised him to report the incident to the police.
The policemen, who however suspected a foul
play, arrested both the pastor and Ebun.
The case was said to have been transferred to the
Department of Criminal Investigation, Yaba.
PUNCH Metro learnt that the victim had been
divorced for about seven years, and had lived
alone before the incident.
His uncle, Chief Idowu Animashaun, said he
learnt about the incident two days after it
happened.
He said, “Waheed lived a reckless life; that was
why I stopped him from coming to my house.”
His ex-wife, who gave her name simply as
Moshundat, said their marriage crashed due to
his lifestyle.
“I was married to Waheed for eight years and I
had four children for him.
“But in the later part of our marriage, he took to
drinking and leaving home for as long as two
months without asking how the children and I
were surviving.
“I don’t know who to suspect for his death,” she
said.
The Police Public Relations Officer, Lagos State
Command, Kenneth Nwosu, when contacted said
he would get back to our correspondent.
But he had yet to do so as of the time of filing this
report.