Top Abuja Pastor Flees Nigeria After Alleged ₦3.4 Billion Fraud Exposed by Former Church Accountant

A major scandal has hit the Nigerian religious scene as Pastor Chris Edeh, General Overseer of Heaven’s Ark Global Ministries, has reportedly fled Nigeria after a former church accountant exposed an alleged ₦3.4 billion embezzlement scheme spanning over five years.

According to an exclusive leak received by Dobblog, the former accountant, Mrs. Lydia Odo, submitted a 41-page petition to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), outlining how church funds meant for charity, school construction, and community outreach were funneled into personal offshore accounts and high-end real estate across Abuja and Dubai.

The pastor, known for his luxury lifestyle and televised deliverance programs, was last seen at a midweek healing service on Tuesday. By Thursday morning, sources at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport confirmed that he boarded a private charter flight bound for Morocco, allegedly using a Benin Republic diplomatic passport.

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“He left with just a suitcase and his personal assistant. No family, no farewell sermon, nothing,” said a church security staff member who spoke under anonymity.

In her petition, Mrs. Odo who served as head of the church’s finance unit for eight years revealed doctored audit reports, undeclared foreign donations, and large weekly cash movements carried out by the pastor’s inner circle.

“I was loyal for years, but I couldn’t continue watching the man manipulate people’s faith to fund private jets, exotic cars, and mansions in Maitama and Lekki,” she wrote.

EFCC sources confirm that they have begun tracing multiple bank accounts linked to the ministry and its affiliates, some of which show unexplained inflows from shell companies in Turkey and South Africa.

With the pastor missing, the church’s board of trustees held an emergency meeting on Friday and released a statement urging members to stay calm:

“Heaven’s Ark is bigger than any one man. We ask for patience as the truth unfolds. We are cooperating with authorities and reviewing all financial operations,” said Elder Sunday Amechi, acting chairman of the board.

Some church members have begun demanding full transparency and refunds of “sacrificial donations” made under false pretenses.

Religious groups and public commentators are calling for stricter regulations on church finances, especially among mega ministries operating under the guise of non-profits.

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Human rights lawyer, Barr. Olumide Ilesanmi, told Dobblog:

“Faith should never be a front for fraud. The government must introduce independent financial audits for religious institutions.”

The EFCC is reportedly working with Interpol to track the pastor’s whereabouts and possible extradition.

Dobblog will continue its investigations into the Heaven’s Ark financial files and Pastor Edeh’s alleged offshore holdings.

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