The Enugu State Police Command has formally charged a 63-year-old clergyman named Luke Eze with the alleged sexual assault of two sisters, aged 16 and 19, whose identities remain confidential.
Authorities apprehended the suspect on September 11, 2025, following a complaint lodged by the victims’ parent, with the arrest carried out by officers from the Iwollo Police Division.
According to the investigation, the pastor invited the younger sister to his church, City of Hope Ministry-also known locally as “Ọkụ Night”-located in Okunito-Amansiodo within the Oghe community of Ezeagu local government area, under the pretense of conducting a “deliverance session” on September 7, 2025.
During the session, after involving her in a ritual resembling traditional mortar-pounding, the suspect administered an unknown liquid that caused the girl to lose consciousness, which allegedly facilitated the subsequent assault.
When the younger sibling failed to return home, her 19-year-old sister visited the church and was subjected to a similar deceitful ritual by the pastor.
Both sisters reportedly regained consciousness the next day, September 8, discovering themselves unclothed and with visible signs of physical trauma, including bloodstains, indicating the abuse they endured.
Daniel Ndukwe, the spokesperson for the Enugu Police Command, confirmed that investigators recovered two plastic containers holding the unidentified substance used by the suspect, which have been sent for forensic examination.
“Luke Eze admitted to the offenses, attributing his actions to ‘the devil,'” the police representative stated.
Following the conclusion of inquiries by the Gender and Anti-Human Trafficking Unit of the Command’s State Criminal Investigation Department, the suspect has been arraigned in court and is currently held in correctional custody.
State Police Commissioner CP Mamman Bitrus Giwa denounced the pastor’s conduct as heinous and reprehensible, urging parents and community members to remain vigilant against individuals exploiting religious authority for criminal purposes.
He further reassured the public of the police force’s dedication to ensuring justice is duly served in this matter.
