WHAT'S THE MATTER WITH MEN TODAY? : Pastor In Court For Allegedly Abducting Man's Wife

A 42-year-old pastor, Peter Ododa of the Holy Family Prayer Ministry of New Karu in Nasarawa State on Tuesday appeared before a Mararaba Upper Area Court for alleged abduction.
Ododa was arraigned before Justice Vincent Gwahenba for the alleged abduction of Grace Okpara.
Mr Sunday Ijiga, counsel to Mr Nnamdi Okpara, the complainant and husband of Grace, told the court that the accused abducted his wife sometime in 2010.
 Ijiga said the complainant got married to Grace in March, 2008 and shortly after their wedding, Grace discovered the church and introduced her husband to the accused.
``Since we got married in 2008 we have been living peacefully, until she was introduced to the prayer ministry by one of her relatives and she started misbehaving,” the complainant said.
 He alleged that the pastor told his wife that there was no spiritual guidance in their marriage and, therefore, asked her to leave the house to avoid ungodly acts that could lead her to regret thereafter.
 The complainant said his wife told him that the pastor advised her to leave the marriage because he was not her husband.
 He alleged that the pastor said that since their wedding was not conducted in the church, she was not legally married.
The complainant said, ‘when I noticed some changes in her behavior, I stopped her from attending the prayer ministry but she insisted on going back.’’
 He alleged that the pastor always invited Grace while he was away and sometimes, made calls to her asking her to meet him.
The complainant alleged that the accused finally abducted his wife in 2010 while he was away on an official assignment in Delta and that all efforts made to trace her whereabouts failed.
``When I came back, I went to the hakimi (district head) of New Karu, the director of social welfare board of Karu Local Government and the CAN chairman to assist me get my wife back,” he alleged.
 Okpara said that after all efforts failed, he brought the matter to court. However, the pastor pleaded not guilty to the charge.
The judge granted the accused bail in the sum of N200,000 and a surety, who lives within the jurisdiction of the court, in like sum.
He adjourned the case to Jan. 25 for continuation of hearing.