Tobias Sylvester
Lagos State Police Command has arrested the Assistant Pastor of the Anointed Chosen Vessel Ministry, Okota, Lagos, 54-year-old Mike Oliseh, for allegedly defiling the 12-year-old twin daughters Chioma and Nnena Okoro (Not real names) of a church member and close friend.
According to Punch Metro, Oliseh who is the assistant pastor of the Anointed Chosen Vessel Ministry, is also a borehole drilling expert living opposite the girls’ father, Okoro (not real name), on Ago Palace Way, Okota, Lagos State with his family (a wife and four kids).
Oliseh later moved his family to Ikotun, Lagos, but retained the house at Okota, where he lives and only goes to Ikotun for his family on weekends.
The girls’ father Okoro, who is a driver, is also contracted driver of Oliseh. He uses his bus to transport equipment to Olishe’s drilling sites — So through this, the became very close friends.
Oliseh became a benefactor to Okoro’s family, while Okoro and his family became members of Oliseh’s church, Anointed Chosen Vessel Ministry, Okota, Lagos.
One day, Okoro’s wife, Chidera (not real name), traveled on a business trip and Oliseh started sleeping in the Okoro home. During this time, he defiled Chioma (not real name).
He first raped Chioma in their home while her father was fast asleep. Oliseh then threatened to withdraw his support from her family if she ever tells anyone. Chioma said she cannot count the number of times Oliseh raped her.
Chioma narrated:
“He started it (rape) last year. He used to come to sleep at our house. He said there was heat in his apartment. So, while my twin sister and I would sleep on the floor, he used to sleep on the bed with my father. While my dad slept, he would come to the floor and sleep with me. He has done it many times.
“He put his male reproductive organ in my private parts. He threatened that if I told my father, he would not take him to work again. He and my father eat and work together, and they both sleep on the same bed.”
The crime went on and on till one-day, Oliseh attempted to rape the other twin, Nnenna (not real name) and an elderly woman saw him.
Nnenna’s mother Chidera narrates:
“On that Thursday, my daughter did not go to school; she was alone in the compound. Oliseh came and chased her. The girl ran into the backyard to hide. He went there and started pulling her pants; the girl shouted.
“An elderly woman, who came for omugwo (the Igbo practice of female parents tendering their daughters’ newborn babies) in our compound and was in the room, saw him. When she opened the door, Olishe quickly brought out a phone and pretended to be speaking to my husband on the telephone. He said he wanted to give my daughter something, but she was not ready to collect it. He then put his phone in his pocket and left.
“The elderly woman, who observed that he did not dial any number on the phone before putting it to his ear, called my husband to ask the children what his friend had been doing to them. That was how the secret was blown open. He slept with my first daughter regularly, but had only succeeded in inserting his fingers into the private parts of my second daughter.”
Chidera, the twins’ mother said she was disappointed because Oliseh was a trusted pastor and family friend. The victim’s father, Okoro only believed the allegation after Oliseh confessed to him.
Okoro narrates:
“I trusted him because I thought that he was a man of God. I have a bus and whenever he had a borehole drilling job, I used the vehicle to take the equipment to the site. He would pay me for the service. He also took my family to his church.
“Also, whenever my wife traveled, I would take my children to his wife’s place in Ikotun. Whenever I cooked, we would eat together from the same plate. I never suspected anything. Even when it was noticed the first time, I doubted it. However, when he agreed to it and said what he did was little, I became weak.”
Upon the case being reported at the Lagos State Public Defender’s office, tests carried out at the OPD of Mirabel Centre, Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, Ikeja confirmed that the girls had been defiled. A social worker stated:
“In fact, it was when the results came out that we reported at the Ago Police Station.
“When we got to his house, he was not around. The general overseer of the church had called the victims’ parents and was reprimanding them for involving the police. The man said since he had already agreed to settle it for them, they should not have involved the police.
“We just told the family to play along. So, they agreed with the general overseer and that gave the suspect a false sense of security. He returned to his house and that was how he was arrested. He was transferred to the Gender Unit on Tuesday.”
The Director, OPD, Mrs. Olayinka Adeyemi, said:
“The innocent girls were defiled by a so-called pastor under the guise of helping their father. It is very sad. While we will ensure that the girls get justice and the perpetrator is punished, it is important that parents should be watchful and careful.”
The state Police Public Relations Officer, CSP Chike Oti, confirmed that the suspect would be arraigned at the end of the investigation.
