by Oge Okonkwo

Its no news that controversial pastor, Ofuche Ukoha popularly known as “Sign Fireman”, was released on bail on Saturday after he was arrested over his alleged involvement in the murder of a 12-year-old girl for ritual purposes.

According to online media platform, SaharaReporters, Pastor Sign Fireman today at his church Perfect Christian Mission, in Surulere, Aguda Lagos, “inspired other stooge pastors to extort money from his congregation” using his bail as a tool.

It was gathered that his church was excited about his return, as members shared testimonies about his release. The testifiers said they believed that the news of Pastor Fireman’s arrest over the ritual case was “God’s way of advertising the church to attract more worshipers.”

According to SaharaReporters:

Each member’s testimony was then turned into an avenue to collects offering.

After one particular testimony praising the Pastor-anchor of the testimony segment said; “God will use your shame to announce you. If you want that to be your portion, come forward now with your special seed.”

The motivated congregation shoved their way to the altar, tossing notes at feet of the anchor.

Pastor Fireman himself did not preach. Instead, he introduced an unschooled man he described as ‘Apostle Paul’ whom he claimed had ministered “everywhere in the world.”  He said he had brought the uneducated man to minister in order to show that unschooled persons “can also be raised by God”.

Fireman then promised, to the audience’s roars of “Amen,” that regardless of their academic deficiencies, the church members would be favored with positions without merit or qualifications. Throughout his preaching, the Apostle asked for money for every story he told.

Towards end of the session, the Apostle told an anecdote of how he became the pillar offinance in his own family, after he only “sowed seed” of N150,000 in another church. He touched three different poles in the church and called out to the congregation to pay the sums of N100,000; N30,000 and N10,000 to touch the respective poles with him so that they could become pillars of finance in their own families as well.