Soludo Seeks Public Support to Expose Fake Pastors, Criminal Clerics in Anambra

Anambra State Governor, Chukwuma Soludo, has called on residents of the state to support the government’s ongoing campaign against fake pastors and other individuals allegedly using religion as a cover for criminal activities.

The governor urged citizens to provide credible information that could assist authorities in identifying and prosecuting individuals posing as clergymen while engaging in fraud, extortion, deception and other unlawful acts.

The appeal was conveyed in a statement issued on Tuesday by the Anambra State Commissioner for Information and Value Reformation, Law Mefor.

According to Mefor, the Soludo administration has intensified efforts to confront criminal elements operating under the guise of religious and traditional practices as part of its broader campaign to tackle insecurity and restore public confidence across the state.

He disclosed that the government has developed strategies aimed at taking the fight against fake pastors and fraudulent native doctors directly to their areas of operation.

“The government is calling on Ndi Anambra and all residents of the state with credible information on pastors, churches, or so-called ‘men of God’ involved in criminality, extortion, fraud, deception, or any act that endangers lives and the peace of our communities, to please speak up,” Mefor stated.

The commissioner explained that the initiative forms part of the state government’s wider agenda to sanitize religious and traditional institutions and prevent criminal elements from exploiting faith-based platforms for illegal activities.

He stressed that the campaign is not targeted at genuine religious leaders or lawful traditional practitioners but at individuals using such identities to commit crimes and mislead members of the public.

Mefor assured residents that any information provided to the authorities would be handled with strict confidentiality, adding that measures have been put in place to protect the identities of informants.

He called for greater collaboration between the government and residents, noting that community participation remains critical to the success of efforts aimed at eliminating criminality from the state.

“Let us work together to take back our state from criminals hiding under religion, culture and tradition,” he said.

The renewed call comes as the Soludo administration continues its campaign against criminal activities in Anambra, with authorities increasingly focusing on individuals and groups accused of exploiting religious and traditional beliefs to facilitate unlawful practices.