46-year-old Pastor Ifeanyi Bernard was arrested by the police for allegedly raping a 13-year-old girl in Nassarawa.

In his defense, the pastor claimed the devil, whom he tried to deliver the girl of, took over him and made him do it.

According to the commissioner of police, Sani Mohammed, who supervised the parading of the offender, the cleric lured the victim into his house under the pretext of casting out demons from her, pushed her onto the bed and raped her repeatedly.

The commissioner said: “The pastor took advantage of his closeness to the girl’s family – who are members of his congregation – to rape their 13-year-old daughter under the guise of casting out demons from her.”

As usual, the suspect threatened to kill the victim if she reported the incident to any member of her family.

However, it was a member of her family, Martins Ijiwo, the victim’s father that eventually got him arrested for violating his daughter and their trust.

In his confessional statement, he narrated how it was the devil’s fault.

“I had been into evangelism for some years now and I have been casting out demons from people who have spiritual and family problems before I met this young girl through her father, Mr. Martins Ijiwo.

I have been a friend of the family for quite some time. I used my anointing oil to lure her into my room and all of a sudden, I was carried away and before I knew what was happening, I saw myself making love to her.”

Ada Igboanugo