The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has handed over two cheques summing up to N11.9m to a parish of the Redeemed Christian Church of God in Rivers State.
The said amount was allegedly stolen by RCCG deacon, Cyril Idakwoji.
On Wednesday, the South-South Zonal Head of the EFCC, Mr. Ishaq Salihu, revealed that Idakwoji, a former employee of Access Bank, was the account officer of the church for the bank.
He claimed that the suspect diverted church funds into his own personal accounts.
According to Salihu;
“He (suspect) forged the letterheads of the church’s region 5 and the signature of the pastor in charge of the region. He also forged the signature of the church’s accountant to execute his criminal schemes in the RCCG.”
After receiving the cheques from the commission, the Pastor of Province 4 of the RCCG, Port Harcourt, Mr. Mark Barango, commended the EFCC for ensuring that the money was recovered.
“He (suspect) was the account officer assigned by the bank to us. He was also a member of the church. EFCC is an agent of transformation. I thank the EFCC for helping us to recover the money” – he said.
A sum of N36m belonging to Jephthah International School was also recovered from the suspect.
According to, Salihu, the suspect also occupied the post of the account officer for the Private school.