The Overseer of Christ Apostolic Church (CAC), Freedom City Prophetic and Deliverance Ministry based in Ilorin, Kwara State, has been arrested by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for defrauding a member of his congregation.
The case involves the alleged swindling of N3.9 million (approximately $8,900) from a church member under the guise of facilitating the individual’s relocation to Canada.
The victim, Oluwole Babarinsa, was reportedly singled out during a church program in 2021 when Prophet James claimed to have received a divine revelation about Babarinsa’s potential move abroad. The cleric then inquired about Babarinsa’s preferred destination, to which he responded “Canada.”
Following this, James purportedly introduced Babarinsa to a contact in Lagos who could assist with the relocation process, quoting a total cost of N3.9 million for processing flight tickets and travel documents.
Driven by the hope of starting afresh in Canada, Babarinsa went to great lengths to raise the required funds, including selling some of his properties and taking out loans.
However, after handing over the money to Prophet James, the promised assistance and documentation for the move to Canada failed to materialize. Subsequent attempts by Babarinsa to recover his money were met with resistance, leading him to seek redress through the EFCC.
The arrest of Prophet Adeniyi James on April 2nd, as announced by Dele Oyewale, the commission’s Head of Media and Publicity, shows an important step in addressing the exploitation of faith for financial gain within religious communities in Nigeria.
The EFCC’s ongoing investigation into the matter and their intention to arraign James upon its conclusion highlight the legal efforts to combat such fraudulent activities.
