A 45-year-old pastor, Roman Samson, has been arrested by the Cross River State Police Command over the alleged death of a 13-year-old girl who reportedly died after being flogged with a horsewhip in Boki Local Government Area of the state.
The deceased, a member of the pastor’s church, was allegedly accused of stealing her mother’s ₦30,000 before the incident.
The girl’s mother, Agnes, who has also been arrested by the police, said she only took her daughter to the pastor’s residence for counselling and prayers over repeated allegations of theft and never instructed him to assault the teenager.
Police sources said the incident occurred on June 1, 2026, after the mother took her daughter to the pastor following the disappearance of ₦30,000 from her home. According to the source, the woman accused the girl of repeatedly stealing from her and engaging in misconduct before leaving her alone with the clergyman.
The source disclosed that by the time the mother returned, the pastor had allegedly flogged the girl with a horsewhip and was rushing her to the hospital, where she was confirmed dead.
Agnes, a resident of Obanleku in Boki Local Government Area and a mother of three, confirmed taking her daughter to the pastor after discovering that her ₦30,000 was missing.
She explained that the teenager eventually confessed to taking the money and revealed where it had been hidden. Agnes said she left the pastor’s house to retrieve the cash and found it inside one of her daughter’s trousers.
According to her, the pastor had not assaulted the girl before she left to recover the money. She said she only met him while he was taking the teenager to the hospital.
The grieving mother maintained that she never asked the pastor to beat her daughter to death, insisting she only wanted him to counsel and correct the child, as he had done on previous occasions.
The suspect, Roman Samson, identified himself as the founder and General Overseer of Goodness of Jesus Ministry. He said he had previously ministered in several churches before establishing his own ministry.
The pastor said he had known the girl’s mother for about four years after she separated from her husband and had assisted her family financially, including supporting the children’s education.
He claimed the deceased had repeatedly stolen from her mother and that he had counselled her several times in the past.
Samson further alleged that on June 1, the girl’s mother brought her to his residence again over another allegation of theft and requested that he discipline her. He said he used a horsewhip to flog the teenager about 13 to 15 times before noticing that she had become weak.
He added that he immediately rushed her to the hospital, but she was pronounced dead on arrival, expressing regret over the incident and insisting he never intended to kill the girl.
The spokesperson for the Cross River State Police Command, ASP Eitokpah Sunday, confirmed the arrest of the pastor and the girl’s mother.
The police assured residents that a thorough investigation was ongoing and reaffirmed the command’s commitment to protecting lives and property, while urging members of the public to continue providing credible information to support efforts against crime across the state.
Tribune
