The police in Ogun have arrested fleeing Pastor Francis Taiwo of Key of Joy Celestial Church, Ajibawo near Atan, Ota, for allegedly maltreating his nine-year-old son, Korede Taiwo, by putting him in chains.
Taiwo was said to have chained his Korede, with the help of some members of his church, for more than a month on the allegation of his stealing habit.
The boy was rescued last Friday by security operatives in a room around the church after they got a tip-off from a member of the community.
The police said Pastor Taiwo, who hails from Benin Republic, but born in Ota into the same Celestial church, was ordained in 2012.
He was said to have been married to two wives before he got married to Kehinde Taiwo, the step mother to Korede, who is a suspect in the ongoing case.
The pastor, who is also a father of five, confirmed that Korede’s mother, Marianne Taiwo, who hailed from Delta State, died some years back.
She had four children for him before he divorced her in 2007, shortly after she gave birth to Korede.
The state Police Public Relations Officer, Muyiwa Adejobi, said that investigation revealed that none of Korede’s siblings was living with the pastor.
Adejobi, a superintendent of police, added that the pastor had confirmed that he chained Korede because he felt he was possessed because of his stealing habit.
“The case will be transferred to the Anti-Human trafficking and Child Labour Unit of the Command for necessary investigation and actions today, Sunday, as directed by the Assistant Inspector General of Police in charge of zone 2 Command, Onikan, Lagos, AIG Abdulmajid Ali,” the police spokesman said.
