The Nigeria Police Force has arrested four suspects, including the driver of an Abuja-based prophetess and a church pastor's bodyguard, over an alleged plot to kidnap the cleric after she shared a testimony about her personal achievements and business success during a church service. The suspects reportedly planned to disguise the abduction as a road accident.
Suspects and Alleged Plan
Deputy Commissioner of Police Adamu Muazu, who heads the Intelligence Response Team (IRT), paraded the suspects on Thursday, October 8, in Abuja. He identified the suspects as David Obaje, who had worked as the prophetess's driver for about three months and had attended the church for approximately four years, and David Dennis, who served as the senior pastor's bodyguard and had been a church member for about six years. Two other suspects were also arrested in connection with the plot.
According to police, the suspects allegedly targeted Prophetess Elizabeth, an assistant pastor, after she gave a testimony about her success. The alleged plan was to attack her after an evening church service on October 1. The suspects intended to use a vehicle to block or hit her car, forcing her to stop, before overpowering her and taking her to a location where she would be held. The police said intelligence about the alleged conspiracy helped officers intervene before the planned abduction could take place.
Investigation and Recovered Items
Investigators alleged that the suspects communicated through a WhatsApp group to coordinate the operation and made arrangements for another person to travel from Kogi State to participate in it. A vehicle allegedly acquired for the operation was recovered, alongside a locally fabricated firearm. The police said the suspects claimed the weapon had been purchased from a vigilante group for ₦120,000. A security uniform was also reportedly obtained as part of the preparations.
Muazu warned churchgoers against assuming that everyone attending religious services has good intentions. He said publicly discussing personal achievements, particularly information that reveals financial success, could expose worshippers to people looking for potential victims.
Police Warning and Security Advice
“You can't go to a church located on the outskirts, and you go to evening prayers and close in the evening, coming down to your home after making testimony of what you have achieved in life,” Muazu said. He questioned the assumption that everyone in a congregation shares the same religious intentions. “In the midst of a gathering of people watching you, thinking that they are all men of God, no, nobody has their own motive for going to the church,” he added.
The police chief also urged church leaders whose premises are in isolated locations to pay closer attention to their members’ safety, particularly when services end late at night. He said churches should monitor the routes leading to their premises, secure their entrances and exits, and provide adequate guidance to worshippers leaving evening services.
The case has raised concerns about the risks of sharing sensitive information with people who already have access to one's personal life. Muazu noted that one of the suspects was Elizabeth's driver, while another worked as a bodyguard to the church's senior pastor. Both were reportedly members of the same church.
The police said investigations were continuing to establish the full extent of the alleged conspiracy and identify anyone else involved. The case serves as a reminder that protecting personal information requires discretion, but responsibility for preventing crime also rests with security agencies and institutions. Churches, particularly those holding services in isolated areas, need to consider how members will leave safely, while worshippers should be cautious about revealing sensitive details of their finances, businesses and movements in public gatherings.
