77 persons, were rescued by the Ondo state - Police officers in Ondo including 26 children in Valentino area of the state.

Funmilayo Odunlami, the police public relations officer (PRO) in Ondo state, confirmed the report and shared the information on Saturday, July 2, that an investigation has been launched into the incident. 

He disclosed that early findings indicated that the people were kept in the basement by a pastor preparing for rapture. 

Funmilayo words, "BIG! "It’s a case of suspected abduction. It’s a church-related issue — a pastor who claims that Jesus is coming soon and rapture will take place by September and he harboured all of them in a house.” 

He also explained how they were rescued.

“some children are being harboured at The Whole Bible Believers Church AKA Ondo Church, Valentino area, Ondo Town”. 

"Police officers quickly sprung to action, but on getting to the church, they were attacked by the members. Two of the church’s pastors were later arrested and are in custody. 

In all, 77 members – Twenty Six (26) children, Eight (8) teenagers and Forty-Three (43) adult members were rescued." 

The Pastors who were arrested denied hypnotising members, according to report, one Pastor Josiah Peter Asumosa, an assistant pastor in the church initially told the members that rapture will take place in April but later said it has been shifted to September 2022. In an interview with the resident pastor, David Anifowose, and Josiah, they denied the allegation of hypnotising their members’ they claimed to have only preached undiluted words of God to them.

The police spokesperson recounted that a family that was around during the rescue stated that their daughter left home in January 2022 to start living in the church. The girl, a part three student, also dropped out of school due to the strange teachings of the pastor.