AWKA, NIGERIA – A High Court in Awka, Anambra State, has ordered the remand of eight pastors in a correctional facility following their arraignment on charges related to staging "fake miracles" to deceive and defraud the public. The pastors, affiliated with various ministries including Omega Dominion Ministry, Cloud of Glory Prophetic Ministry, Chapel of Faith Ministry, Messiah Adoration Ministry, Citadel of Grace Ministry, Jehovah the Mighty Than All Ministry, City of Power Ministry, and Land of Testimony Adoration Ministry, were brought before Justice Jude Obiorah by operatives of the state security outfit, Agunechemba. The charges include violations of the Anambra State Homeland Security Law, 2025, such as wielding fake supernatural powers and using places of worship for criminal activities, as well as obtaining money by false pretence under the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud-Related Offences Act. The prosecution alleges that the pastors hired paid actors to pose as individuals who had been miraculously healed or delivered, thereby collecting financial rewards from unsuspecting members of the public. Video-recorded confessions and a flash drive containing evidence were reportedly presented to the court. While some pastors pleaded not guilty, the court ordered their remand and adjourned the case to June 15, 2026, for further hearing and bail applications. This action is part of the Anambra State Government's broader campaign against fraudulent religious practices and exploitation, following similar crackdowns on native doctors. Governor Chukwuma Soludo has been vocal about his administration's commitment to addressing deceptive religious practices in the state.