The Celestial Church of Christ Worldwide has denied any affiliation with Pastor Afolabi Hodonu, who was arrested by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency along with his wife, Success Hodonu, at the Gbaji checkpoint in Lagos. The arrest, which occurred on Thursday, led to the recovery of 11 kilograms of skunk from concealed compartments in their vehicle. Hodonu claimed to be the Shepherd in charge of the Celestial Church of Christ, Agonvi Sea Beach, Sakpo area of Seme border, Badagry. NDLEA spokesman Femi Babafemi stated the arrest followed the March 30 detention of a fake security agent, Sunday Samuel, 35, who was transporting 24.5 kilograms of skunk from Seme border to Lagos. Investigations into that seizure reportedly led agents to Hodonu and his wife.
Kayode Ajala, Head of Media and Publicity for the church, confirmed in a statement on Sunday that church records show neither Hodonu nor his wife are part of the Ketu mainstream led by Reverend Emmanuel Oshoffa. Ajala called the misuse of the church's name a "despicable act" and announced a task force would be sent to Seme, Badagry, to investigate the matter.
A pastor claiming to represent the Celestial Church of Christ was caught with 11Kg of skunk, yet the church insists he is not one of its own. This is not the first time a self-styled man of God has been linked to drug trafficking at the Seme corridor. The ease with which religious titles are weaponised for criminal cover suggests deeper cracks in oversight. For Nigerians, it means another layer of distrust in figures once presumed holy.
