A Lagos-based pastor affiliated with the Celestial Church of Christ (CCC), identified as Superintendent Evangelist Whepetoji Babaniyeh, has been taken into custody in connection with the disappearance of a 28-year-old man.
Drivetvnews Reports indicate that Babaniyeh leads the Celestial Church of Christ, Ileri Oluwa Parish, situated at Lagos State University (LASU) 2.
The missing individual, Ogunbode Quadri Adedamola, was last seen on January 16, 2025. He had graduated in 2024 with a degree in Political Science Education from LASU and was managing his private business, Horlar Edu Consultancy, on the university campus before he went missing.
According to a family source, Quadri was last spotted near the church premises.
“He was last seen in the vicinity of the church, and since then, we have had no contact with him. The police have since apprehended the pastor, and an investigation is currently underway,” the source stated.
The source further revealed that Quadri had been speaking with his girlfriend on the phone at the time of his disappearance.
“While on the call, he mentioned that he was near the church when someone from inside called him. That was the last time anyone heard from him,” the family member added.
Despite being in police custody, Babaniyeh has not admitted to any wrongdoing or disclosed Quadri’s whereabouts, according to the family.
“So far, the pastor has not confessed or provided any information on where Quadri might be,” the family source told reporters.
Meanwhile, a YouTuber known as Authentic Auntie Adunni – Triple A – claimed in an online post that the pastor denied seeing Quadri when questioned by the police. This followed reports from Quadri’s girlfriend, who said he was last near the church.
She further alleged that during the investigation, police reviewed Quadri’s bank statements and found that N1.5 million had been transferred from his account to Babaniyeh’s on the day he disappeared.
“When questioned, the pastor reportedly claimed the money was given as a thanksgiving offering,” she said.
Additional findings allegedly revealed that more transfers had been made from Quadri’s account to the pastor’s child.
“It was later discovered that Quadri had been killed, with some parts of his body removed, and his remains buried within the church compound. The police acted on this information, leading to further discoveries,” she claimed.
She also alleged that the pastor’s son was involved in the incident.
However, the family refuted the claim that Quadri had been confirmed dead or that his remains had been found in the church.
“We cannot verify whether he is dead or alive. All we know is that he is missing. No body has been discovered,” a family source stated.
When contacted, Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer Benjamin Hundeyin stated that there was no official record of such a case.
“We have no such report,” he responded in a text message.
