Nigerian Pastor Flees After Body Was Found Buried Under His Church Property

Nigerian Pastor Flees After Body Was Found Buried Under His Church Property

  • A mummified body was discovered buried under a concrete slab at a Yaoundé property linked to a Nigerian cleric's church
  • Kedi Samuel Kenechukwu, founder of Mercy of God Ministry, is wanted by Cameroonian authorities on allegations including human traffick1ing and kidnapping
  • The find came weeks after 20 people were reportedly rescued from a basement at another property connected to the same ministry

Legit.ng journalist Adekunle Dada has over eight years of experience covering metro, government policy, and international issues

Nkoabang, Cameroon - A mummified body has been found buried beneath a concrete slab at a property in Nkoabang, Yaoundé, linked to a Nigerian cleric, Kedi Samuel Kenechukwu, also known as Ekedi Samuel, who is now in hiding after Cameroonian security forces launched a manhunt for him.

Officers from the Nkoabang Special Police Station made the discovery on September 19, 2026, at around 9am during an ongoing investigation into Pastor Kenechukwu.

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Nigerian cleric flees after body found buried in Cameroon church
Nigerian pastor flees Cameroon after corpse found buried in his church. Photo credit: @NigeriaStories
Source: Twitter

Kenechukwu, the founder of Mercy of God Ministry is wanted on allegations of human traff1cking, unlawful arrest, and kidnapping.

Cameroon Tribune described the body as resting inside a white-and-gold coffin buried roughly 1.5 metres underground.

"The lid is broken. Inside, a body, a lady at first sight, dressed in a traditional blue outfit with gold embroidery, in a state of mummification, rests on a padding. This is not a normal grave," the newspaper said.

The identity of the woman and the circumstances of her death had not been established at the time of the report.

As reported by The Punch, investigators reached the concealed area after residents vandalised parts of the property, exposing the underground section.

Security officers were still waiting for authorisation to conduct a broader search of the site for any additional remains.

Earlier searches at same property

The September 19 discovery came about ten days after an earlier search of the Nkoabang property on September 9, during which investigators found five vehicles, several hundred kilogrammes of food, functioning freezers, approximately 30 rooms, and a pit roughly two metres deep whose purpose was not established at the time.

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The Nkoabang searches were themselves preceded by an operation at a separate property linked to Mercy of God Ministry in the Ngousso area of Yaoundé on September 6. During that raid, 20 people were reportedly found in a basement, among them 10 women, eight men, and two children aged six and seven.

Cameroonian news outlet Camer.be described Kenechukwu as "a Nigerian prophet operating in Cameroon since 2018."

He has not been apprehended, and Cameroonian authorities have alerted border police and involved Interpol in the effort to locate him. The investigation into the activities across the linked properties remains ongoing.

Pastor arrested for setting wife on fire

Meanwhile, Legit.ng reported that fhe Kogi state police command arrested Jacob Irewa, who allegedly poured petrol on his wife and set her ablaze after a domestic dispute.

The incident on Friday, August 14, 2026, was triggered by a disagreement over shirts the suspect's wife had burned without his knowledge.

The victim, Berida Irawo, survived the attack and is currently receiving treatment at Honey Gold Hospital, Felele.

Source: Legit.ng

Authors:
Adekunle Dada avatar

Adekunle Dada (Politics and Current Affairs Editor) Adekunle Dada is a Politics and Current Affairs Editor at Legit.ng. He holds a B.Sc. in Mass Communication from Lagos State University, Ojo, and brings over eight years of professional media experience to his role. He has spent his career refining his craft at PM News, The Sun, and Within Nigeria. In 2024, he earned a certification in advanced digital reporting from the Google News Initiative. He can be reached at adekunle.dada@corp.legit.ng