Pastor in Police net for alleged human trafficking

vanguard ^ | 07.14.08 | Gabriel Enogholase

[Coleus]

Officials of the zone 5 police command Benin Edo State have arrested the head of a Christian gospel church in the state over an alleged involvement in human trafficking . The suspect Bishop Nosayaba Agbonavbare of the Messiah Gospel Church of Cherubim and Seraphim was arrested by the police weekend for alleged role in human tarfficking and prostitution of young girls in Italy and other European countries.

But the suspect while speaking with journalists in Benin denied his involvement in the crime and attributed his fate to what he called a frame up by some aggrieved members of the church over an internal problem between the leadership and members of the church. The arrest of the church leader who is also the Provost of the church followed a petition by two ladies(nameswitheld) to the National Agency for the Prohibition of Human Trafficking and other Related Matters, NAPTIP over threat to their lives by the said bishop

Vanguard investigations indicated that the ladies presently living abroad had approached the pastor for spiritual cleasing, special prayers for protection and sponsorship for their travel after reaching an agreement with the pastor on the amount of money to be paid by them. Trouble was said to have started fter four months the ladies had paid the agreed fee the man of God came up with another demand and had threatened his clients with unpleasant consequences if they refused to remmit more money to his account.

However disturbed by the fear that their lives were threatened, the ladies petitioned NAPTIP who on their part contacted police who subsequently arrested the clergyman. The police Public Relations Officer,PPRO, zone 5 Benin,Mr.A.B. Orubiri, an Assistant Superintendent of Police, ASP, declined comment when contacted yesterday saying that the case had not been reported to them.

[xzins]

Priest Abuse Fliers

http://www.bishop-accountability.org/news2007/09_10/2007_09_02_Stephens_PriestAbuse.htm

By LaTonya Stephens
Tri-State Homepage
September 2, 2007

http://tristatehomepage.com/content/fulltext/?cid=2567

Victims of abuse are asking other victims to step out of the shadows and the Evansville diocese to acknowledge their responsibilities.

The Silent Lambs organization and Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests say recent revelations of molestation by a local priest is another example of the church's failure to protect the innocent.

They showed up Sunday at Saint Benedict's Cathedral handing out fliers encouraging members to support abuse victims and to push the catholic church to be honest about abusive priests.

David Clohessy says Bishop Ferald Gettelfinger's recent disclosure of abuse by now deceased Monsignor Othmar Schroeder prompted the action.

Clohessy says for 11 years Bishop Gettelfinger has known that Schroeder is a predator and yet kept silent.

He also says Gettelfinger admitted that there are others whose names he has not disclosed.

Those wanting to learn more about the SNAP victim's group can log onto www.snapnetwork.org.

[Coleus]

Christian gospel church in the state over an alleged involvement in human trafficking .   >>

 

ye must be born again,

[xzins]

Exactly what did you just say???

[big'ol_freeper]

Abuse by Protestant pastors is out of control and disgustingly ignored. Those who excuse it by employing the defense “but Catholic clergy are bad too” contribute to the culture of denial and the abuse imposed on the victims.

[Soliton]

Christians who are slaves should give their masters full respect so that the name of God and his teaching will not be shamed. If your master is a Christian, that is no excuse for being disrespectful. You should work all the harder because you are helping another believer by your efforts. Teach these truths, Timothy, and encourage everyone to obey them. (1 Timothy 6:1-2 NLT)

[NucSubs]

And now I’m going to ask you two the same question I asked TQC on his latest post on Christian clergy abuses - which were on RC abuses and were obviously in response to this and other Proddy abuse posts.

What is the point? What is your goal here? What are Christians wasting so much energy trying to prove that the other side are worse sinners? Haven’t we enough enemies between the secular libs, radical atheists, ad Muzzie death cultists?

[NucSubs]

No reply?

[Titus Quinctius Cincinnatus]

No reply?

Hey man, you gotta give me time to wake up, right?

I only post "dirty priest" stories when one or another of FR's resident Catholics figures that they'll get their jollies off of posting some stories about Protestant clergy. I just want to remind everybody where the stereotypes about Catholic priests came from. And I've got a list of 40-50 stories from within the past month that can go up, if need be.

However, if the Catholics didn't post theirs, I wouldn't post mine.

I covered elsewhere that the belief that there is a much greater problem with clergy abuse among the Catholic clergy than among other groups is not simply perception, but actually appears to be statistically supported.

[NucSubs]

TO TQC: I read your post but your claims that the scandals are SIX TIMES greater on the Catholic side seems dubious at best. You have a lot of assumptions in your calculations.

TO COLEUS: How is it that Catholics or Christians in general profit from your continual, ill concieved attempts to prove Proddy clergy are naughtier than Catholic?

In all honesty I think both of you need to grow up a bit. The “he started it” defense hardly seems mature or productive. Have either of you stepped back and contemplated how this stuff looks to the casual browser/lurker at FR? Seeing post after post of “Priest molests boy”, “Pastor molests girl”, “Reverend molests sheep”, “Vicar molests self”?

[Titus Quinctius Cincinnatus]

TO TQC: I read your post but your claims that the scandals are SIX TIMES greater on the Catholic side seems dubious at best. You have a lot of assumptions in your calculations.

Of course I use a lot of assumptions in my calculations - but they are reasonable assumptions to make: similar clergy per church ratio, etc. Nobody making the claim I refuted has yet provided the actual numbers they seem to be citing, so that the calculations can be refined. Still, if they are correct, then the Catholic clergy really is a lot naughtier than everyone else's.

In all honesty I think both of you need to grow up a bit. The “he started it” defense hardly seems mature or productive. Have either of you stepped back and contemplated how this stuff looks to the casual browser/lurker at FR? Seeing post after post of “Priest molests boy”, “Pastor molests girl”, “Reverend molests sheep”, “Vicar molests self”?

Hint - the reason I post the stories is to "encourage" the Catholics to refrain from doing so. Granted, it results in a flurry of sad stories all at once, but it's like when you have to induce a drunk to throw up so that he doesn't die of alcohol poisoning - unpleasant at the time, but hopefully will get rid of something that is worse for him later on.

However, I will also say this: anybody, active poster or resident lurker, whose opinion about a religion is based on the actions of a few naughty clergymen, probably needs to start eating some mental Wheaties.

[NucSubs]

You know, your motivation sounds wonderful but I have to question your methods (and language). I still say the "he stared it" and "he's worse than me!" arguments are weak and puerile.

In addition "Hint:", "alcohol poisoning", and your other word and metaphor choices are not exactly conducive to discussion if that really is your goal.

However, I will also say this: anybody, active poster or resident lurker, whose opinion about a religion is based on the actions of a few naughty clergymen, probably needs to start eating some mental Wheaties.

I agree to an extent, but you are being either naive (which I doubt) or just not stepping back far enough to see that the bickering and post/counter post on the issue is not conducive to either Christian unity OR evangelizing. It makes us look like...well its just poor advertising.

I appreciate your responses. Please realize I direct my comments to Coleus as well.