“Come for miracle contest” — Soludo dares fake pastors

Governor Charles Soludo has announced a crackdown on individuals he described as fake pastors and prophets, accusing them of exploiting residents through staged miracles and deceptive preaching.

Mr Soludo made the statement on Sunday while speaking at St. Patrick’s Cathedral during the All Knights Day celebration of the Catholic Diocese of Awka in Anambra State.

The governor said security agencies have already arrested several suspects involved in what he called fraudulent spiritual activities.

“As I speak now, several of them are already in custody and confessing,” Mr Soludo said.

He added that the state government had launched an ongoing operation targeting what he described as “fake pastors who exploit the vulnerable by preaching salvation without the cross.”

According to him, the initiative is aimed at cleaning up religious practices in the state and protecting citizens from deception.

‘Miracle challenge’ at hospital

In a provocative remark, Mr Soludo challenged self-proclaimed miracle workers to prove their claims in a medical setting.

“We’ve arrested fake pastors and bishops. Whoever wants to perform miracle should come to Amaku Hospital,” he said, referring to the Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University Teaching Hospital (Amaku Hospital).

The governor’s comments effectively threw down a public challenge to religious figures claiming supernatural healing powers.

Call for discipline and hard work

Mr Soludo also urged religious leaders in the state to emphasise hard work and personal responsibility in their teachings.

He said churches must discourage what he described as misleading doctrines that promise “instant salvation without effort.”

The remarks come amid ongoing debates in Nigeria over the activities of some religious leaders accused of staging miracles, exploiting followers, and operating outside regulatory oversight.

The governor’s statement has stirred public debate over the boundary between religious freedom and state regulation, particularly in a country where religious institutions hold significant social influence.

While supporters say the crackdown is necessary to protect vulnerable citizens, critics may view it as controversial interference in religious affairs.