A man posing as a catholic Priest in Benue State has been apprehended, when a curious parishioner raised an alarm following suspicion over his authenticity.
The fake priest identified as one Mr. Emmanuel Antyu had presented himself as a priest of Lafia Diocese, but claimed that he was coming from Aliade after Sunday Mass.
He had approached one of the parishioner of St. Mark’s Mission, Apir, in the Catholic Diocese of Makurdi, Vera Akinde explaining that he was looking for accommodation after his car broke down; a car he never had.
Feeling a sense of suspicion in the Man's story, Vera Akinde called the attention of the assistant pastor-in-charge of the mission, Father Jonathan Gondo, VC.
According to Vera Akinde, the fake priest explained that he was an Orthodox priest, but on the stickers he presented as evidence of his priesthood, he was a spiritan, a situation she said made her to become suspicious, hence her decision to call the attention of Father Gondo.
Father Jonathan Gondo, VC, alerted the vigilance team and upon interrogation, Mr. Antyu admitted that he was not a priest but was acting so, to defraud people by collecting money to pray for them among other things; an act he confessed to have been into for over two years.
Mr. Antyu further confessed that he printed stickers and made his vestments in Zaki-Biam where he began this fraudulent business.
Two sex-enhancing pills were also found in his bag among other items.
The Chancellor of the Catholic Diocese of Makurdi, Father Jude Ortese, CSSp, said the Fake Priest who hails from Mbatiav in Gboko local government area, has since been handed over to the Nigerian Police at E-Division, Akpehe-Makurdi for further investigation.
SOURCE: The Catholic Star Newspaper