Pastor arrested after collecting ₦2.5m from 18 members for fake Jerusalem pilgrimage

• Kehinde Makinde, known as Pastor Kenny, was arrested in connection with an alleged ₦2.5m pilgrimage scam.

• Police say 18 members of a fellowship in Ogun State paid money after being promised a government-backed trip to Jerusalem.

• Investigators are also looking into allegations that he targeted other people across Ogun, Oyo and Osun states.

A man identified as Kehinde Makinde, known within his fellowship as "Pastor Kenny," has been taken into custody by the Ogun State Police Command over accusations that he defrauded members of his congregation using the promise of an overseas religious trip.

Investigators say Makinde convinced members of a fellowship group in Saje, Adatan, to hand over a combined ₦2.5 million after telling them a government-backed pilgrimage to Jerusalem was being organised on their behalf. As part of the pitch, he reportedly assured each contributor they would personally receive ₦2 million once the arrangement was finalised, a payout that never materialised.

Police say the arrest followed roughly four months of covert monitoring by detectives attached to the Obantoko Division, before officers moved in on August 3 and picked him up in Ibadan, Oyo State.

The alleged pilgrimage scheme is reportedly not an isolated case. Detectives say Makinde is also being investigated for separately targeting other individuals across Ogun, Oyo and Osun States, allegedly presenting himself as a spiritual figure capable of offering deliverance services in exchange for payment, in what police describe as a broader pattern of manipulation rather than a single incident.

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Cases involving self-styled clergy exploiting religious trust for financial gain have surfaced periodically across Nigeria in recent years, with pilgrimage-related promises in particular proving to be a recurring tactic due to the emotional and spiritual weight many congregants attach to trips to religious sites abroad.

Police say Makinde remains in detention as investigations continue, with officers working to identify any additional victims connected to his activities and to trace others who may have assisted him. Authorities have not yet indicated when he is expected to appear in court, and no formal charges have been made public at this stage.

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The case adds to a string of recent fraud-related arrests involving religious figures in southwestern Nigeria, as law enforcement agencies continue to face pressure to act on complaints involving financial exploitation carried out under the cover of faith-based trust.