Bishop Emeka Nwankpa, an NDC senatorial aspirant for Abia Central, has been arraigned at the Anambra High Court in Awka alongside seven other Christian clerics on charges of performing fake miracles and prophecies.
Nwankpa, who leads a Pentecostal church in Onitsha, was picked up as part of what the Anambra State government described as a crackdown on fraudulent religious practices. He faces the court with the other pastors accused of deceiving worshippers through false spiritual claims.
Stanley Nduagu, Nwankpa's media aide, hit back hard at the charges. He said the bishop has run a clean ministry for over 25 years and has never been involved in any fake activities. Nduagu insisted the allegations lack any solid evidence and amounted to a witch hunt against his client.
Familiar faces from Isiala Ngwa in Abia State, Nwankpa's home, have also joined the outcry. They are calling for his immediate release and questioning the timing and fairness of his arrest. Ngozi Ahunanya, one of his kinsmen, accused the Anambra State government of waging war against Christians and those who practise traditional religion, suggesting the arrest was religiously motivated rather than based on genuine wrongdoing.
Francess Olisa Ogbonnaya, the African Democratic Congress candidate for Arochukwu House of Assembly, added her voice to the complaints. She described the arrests as unnecessary harassment of Christian clerics and worshippers, and questioned why the government would target men of God in this manner.
The case remains at the Anambra High Court, where prosecutors are expected to present evidence against Nwankpa and the seven co-accused in the coming weeks.
