Worshippers chases pastor from church for impregnating a member of the church......SEE PHOTO

Firstclass newsline learnt that there was commotion on Sunday at the
United Methodist Church, Mafoluku, in the Oshodi area of Lagos as
members of the church rejected their pastor and chased him away for
allegedly impregnating his housemaid.
Firstclass newsline learnt that the pastor, Barkuma Andrew, was
stopped from leading the church seven months ago when the housemaid,
who was also a member of the church, Grace, had complications after
aborting the pregnancy.
Andrew lives with his wife, children, wife's cousin, Favour, and Grace
in a three-bedroomed flat on the church premises.
Firstclass newsline learnt that the members had petitioned the Central
Conference of the church in Taraba State to investigate the alleged
atrocity. They, however, sought the service of another pastor three
weeks ago when the district reportedly failed to probe Andrew.
Firstclass newsline learnt that members had come to church around 10am
for Sunday service only to see that Andrew and some "unknown" people
had commenced the service.
Firstclass newsline learnt that the development resulted in a breach
of the peace as Andrew and his group were chased out of the church.
Men from the Makinde Police Division, including the DPO, were said to
have intervened after the incident was reported at the station.
A member of the church and a former secretary to Andrew, Moses
Sherima, told our correspondent that the pastor sent his wife to her
village when he impregnated Grace.
He said, "My room is opposite pastor's apartment and I was his
secretary. When he started dating that girl (Grace), I called his
wife's cousin, Favour, on the matter. She said Grace used to tell her
whenever the pastor had sex with her.
"At a point, I had to move upstairs when I could no longer bear it.
The day that abortion happened, I was sleeping inside my room when I
heard Grace screaming. I rushed there and saw blood coming out from
her private parts. When the wife came back from one of her numerous
journeys, he told her to send Favour away."
Another church member, John Komboroh, said the church was embarrassed
by Andrew's conduct, adding that they were tired of his leadership.
He said, "The petition of adultery against the pastor had been sent to
the bishop at the Central Conference. He came here, but did not do
anything about it. That was why we wrote to the main body, the
Southern Conference to give us another pastor. His (Andrew's) action
is an embarrassment to us. We don't want him again."
The new pastor of the church, Reverend James Sunday, said, "We were
about to start our service this morning when we met the old pastor and
some unknown people already holding the service. I calmed down my
people to avoid chaos."
Another resident and a female member, who identified herself only as
Blessing, said the pastor had once made sexual advances to her.
"My husband is not always at home. The pastor would call me in the
night and asked if I had slept. One day he entered my room and gave me
a soft slap on my back. I had only the wrapper on me.
"I was surprised and told my neighbours."
When contacted on the telephone around 1pm on Sunday, Andrew said he
was in a meeting and promised to get back to our correspondent on the
incident.
He told a source that he was still at the meeting when he was called
back around 5pm.
The Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Patricia Amadin,
had yet to reply to a message sent to her line as of press time.
Firstclassnewsline.net