The Celestial Church of Christ Worldwide has formally disassociated itself from a cleric and his wife following their arrest in Lagos State after illegal drugs were discovered in their vehicle.
In a statement issued on Sunday, April 5, 2026, the church clarified that Pastor Afolabi Hodonu and his wife, Success Hodonu, are not listed as members of the mainstream Ketu faction under the leadership of Reverend Emmanuel Mobiyina Oshoffa.
The church stressed that their actions do not reflect its teachings or ethical standards and described the situation as a serious breach of moral conduct.
As earlier reported by First Daily, the couple were apprehended with 11 kilograms of skunk cannabis concealed in modified compartments of their SUV at the Gbaji checkpoint near the Seme border.
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The report noted that the arrest was part of a wider NDLEA crackdown on drug smuggling along the Badagry‑Seme corridor, and confirmed that the church had publicly clarified that the couple were not members of its mainstream Ketu faction.
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) arrested Hodonu, 45, and his wife, 35, on Thursday, April 2, 2026, during the operation targeting the trafficking route.
Church leaders said they would send a fact-finding team to the Seme‑Badagry area to investigate the circumstances of the arrest and the alleged misuse of clerical identifiers.
They also urged the public not to associate the misconduct of individuals with the wider church.
The incident has renewed discussions on accountability and verification of clerical credentials within religious organizations, highlighting the importance of safeguarding institutional integrity and public trust.