The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arrested the General Overseer of Faith On The Rock Ministry International, Theophilus Ebonyi, over allegations of defrauding church members and other Nigerians.

EFCC spokesperson Dele Oyewale, who made this known in a statement on Monday in Abuja, said the pastor was arrested for allegedly using fake grants from the Ford Foundation to the tune of N1,319,040,274.31.

Mr Oyewale said the pastor allegedly defrauded non-governmental organisations and individuals by advertising an intervention project through his NGO (Theobarth Global Foundation).

The EFCC spokesperson said the general overseer claimed that the Ford Foundation was offering a $20 billion grant to assist the less-privileged.

“He allegedly beguiled his victims to subscribe as beneficiaries of the phoney grant by asking them to pay for registration forms and clusters.

“Each subscriber was made to pay N1,800,000 (One Million, Eight Hundred Thousand Naira only).

“Through this arrangement, Ebonyi allegedly raked in N1,391,040, 274.31. (One Billion Three Hundred and Nineteen Million, Forty Thousand, Two Hundred and Seventy-Four Naira, Thirty-One Kobo).

“His subscribers are innocent and unsuspecting Nigerians and NGOs across the country,” he said.

Mr Oyewale said the investigations by the EFCC showed that Ford Foundation had no arrangement, grant, relationship or business with Mr Ebonyi.

“The commission has also traced five properties he acquired as proceeds of his criminal dealings.

“Ebonyi is still reportedly reaching his subscribers on some social media platforms to market his spurious grant from the Ford Foundation.

“He would be charged to court as soon as investigations are concluded,” he said. 

(NAN)