In a startling revelation, a woman in her 50s, identified as Madam Alimot, disclosed her involvement in a fraudulent healing scheme orchestrated with a pastor in a South West state. The scheme, designed to deceive congregants, involved staging spiritual problems that would miraculously vanish upon receiving prayers and anointing.

Narrating the elaborate charade, Alimot explained that after witnessing shouts of joy and fervent prayers, worshippers were urged to drop money at the church altar in anticipation of miracles. These staged performances ranged from acting as the deaf regaining hearing to the blind receiving sight, all carefully orchestrated to extract money from the unsuspecting congregation.

Despite the elaborate deception, Alimot confessed that the reward for her participation was a mere N7,000 per session, which also covered transportation expenses. However, her illicit activities came to light when a victim she coerced into participating reported her threats to authorities upon returning from a staged journey.

The teenager’s account detailed how he was manipulated into acting as a deaf person miraculously cured by the pastor. Despite the significant cash donations received, he was left with a paltry sum of N500 for transport back home, prompting him to expose the syndicate’s fraudulent activities.

The scheme, reminiscent of a movie scene, involved various roles ranging from lunacy to spiritual afflictions, meticulously orchestrated to deceive the congregation. Alimot’s involvement spanned multiple occasions, until she decided to distance herself from the deceitful enterprise for nearly two years before being drawn back into it.

In her interview, Alimot expressed remorse for her actions and cited financial struggles following accidents that left her unable to sustain her business. She also acknowledged fear but claimed to have been influenced by a syndicate leader who recruited her for the scheme.

The teenager’s bravery in exposing the syndicate’s fraudulent activities led to the intervention of the Oluyole Security Surveillance Team (OSST) in Ibadan, ultimately resulting in the apprehension of Alimot and further investigation into the syndicate’s operations by law enforcement authorities.

The case underscores the prevalence of fraudulent practices in religious settings and highlights the vulnerability of congregants to manipulation and exploitation for monetary gain.