Nigeria crusade turns chaotic as 'pastor' flees with worshipper's phones

What was meant to be a night of prayer, ended with worshippers weeping in the open. A self-professed pastor reportedly told crusade-goers in the Uromi area of Edo State Nigeria to drop their phones at the altar before the programme began, then fled with them while prayers were going on. The incident reportedly occurred over the weekend when the pastor visited the area to host a crusade.

Footage that trended on X on Monday shows mostly women lamenting the loss of their phones and other valuables. The Edo State Police Command has not confirmed the incident. The pastors identity, the number of phones taken and whether a police report was filed have not been independently established as at the time of filling this report.

Woman accidentally shoots another woman with air rifle at Netherlands fair | VIDEO

As the video spread, social media did what it does best. One user blamed the congregants rather than the pastor, arguing that anyone who reads their Bible could never fall for such a trick. Another turned to practical concerns, warning that the phones held bank apps and urging everyone present to call their banks immediately. A third mocked the victims for trusting a pastor at the altar in 2026.

Motorcycle-borne men assaults Jaipur cafe owner with iron rods, incident caught on cam

Not everyone was laughing. Many commenters pointed out that victims of such schemes are often people who came looking for hope.

Sadly, The Uromi incident echoes a case from April 2023. Residents of Aponrin in Agbowo, Ibadan, lost 52 Android phones and iPhones after a crusade organised by a pastor, Owen Abraham, who told them the Holy Spirit had directed him to collect their devices. The Oyo State police command later declared him wanted. Victims said the pastor claimed he took the phones so they could focus on prayers. The script is nearly identical, which raises the question of why it keeps working.

Karl Marx famously called religion the opium of the people. Critics of Nigerias crusade culture say the line fits here. In an economy where many struggle to afford basics, a stranger in clerical regalia with a promise of miracles, money or scholarships can command instant obedience. In the Ibadan case, victims said the pastor had promised widows rice and cash, and students scholarships. When hope is scarce, they argue, people suspend scepticism.

Defenders of faith communities answer that genuine churches and mosques run schools, feed the poor and hold society together, and that fraudsters exploit trust rather than represent belief. Both views can be true at once. Religion can be a source of real comfort and still be a convenient cover for those who prey on the desperate.

Police have yet to confirm the Uromi incident, and the pastor remains unidentified. For now, the lesson being shared online is simple: no genuine prayer requires you to hand over your phone to a stranger