Police in Rivers State have arrested 41-year-old pastor Ifediorah Onyeibor Joseph for allegedly dehumanising children in his church.
Gatekeepers News reports that a viral video, lasting less than two minutes, shows over 20 children kneeling with palm leaves while being repeatedly flogged with fronds.
Many of the minors appeared unclad. The narrator alleged the incident took place in a church in Eneka, Port Harcourt, and that the children had been subjected to abuse and left with injuries over several days.
In the clip, a man is seen handing the children, one after the other, to a man and a woman dressed in white after whipping them.
According to Rivers police spokesperson Grace Iringe-Koko, preliminary investigations revealed that the pastor had organised a three-day programme he called “spiritual cleaning” for the children, claiming it was inspired by the Holy Spirit.
Acting on intelligence, police operatives arrested the pastor and several church members at the scene.
The police commissioner, CP Olugbenga A. Adepoju, urged the public to stay calm and report any suspicious activities to security agencies while the investigation continues.
