A teenager who should have been able to feel safe in her own home is now at the centre of a disturbing case involving the very man her family trusted.
A Celestial Church pastor in Ogun State has been taken into police custody following accusations that he sexually abused his 16-year-old stepdaughter, with a human rights organisation claiming that the abuse began when the girl was just 14.
Even more disturbing is the allegation that the teenager was threatened with death if she ever revealed what was happening behind closed doors.
The suspect has been identified as Omogbolahan Israel Idowu. His detention followed a formal petition submitted by the Lagos State branch of the Committee for the Defence of Human Rights, CDHR, which is now demanding justice and protection for the teenager and her elder brother.
According to the petition, dated October 26, 2026, and addressed to the Divisional Police Officer of Shimawa Police Division in Ogun State, the organisation was acting on behalf of the victim, whose identity has been withheld.
The account presented by CDHR traced the beginning of the alleged abuse to the period after the girl's mother, Bukola Rachel Omogbolahan, married Idowu.
Following the marriage, the woman reportedly moved with her children into the pastor's residence in the Ologbo Ark area of Shimawa.
It was during their stay in the house that the teenager reportedly began experiencing sexual abuse.
CDHR stated that the incidents started when she was 14 and continued even after she turned 16.
But the situation became particularly frightening when the suspect reportedly warned her that she would be killed if she disclosed what had been happening.
According to the organisation, the threats left the teenager and her elder brother living in fear for their safety.
The human rights group subsequently approached the police, asking them to investigate the allegations, arrest and prosecute the pastor if found culpable, and ensure that both children received adequate protection.
It also requested that the minors be referred to appropriate child-protection and social-welfare agencies for necessary assistance.
In its petition, CDHR cited provisions of the Child Rights Act 2003 and the Ogun State Child Rights Law, stressing the need to protect the teenager's rights.
How the police investigation unfolded
Following the submission of the petition, developments began at the Shimawa Police Division.
CDHR disclosed that the Divisional Police Officer personally received and acknowledged the complaint on Tuesday, October 27.
The police subsequently invited the pastor, his wife and another clergyman from the Celestial Church for questioning.
After obtaining their statements, officers detained Idowu and the victim's mother as the investigation progressed.
The following day, Wednesday, October 28, the teenager was taken to Shimawa General Hospital for medical examinations.
CDHR said the medical results were subsequently handed over to the police officers handling the case.
However, the investigation did not remain at the divisional level.
On Friday, October 30, the case files involving the pastor and his wife were transferred to the Ogun State Police Command headquarters at Eleweran.
The matter was later moved to the D3 Gender Unit in Oke-Ilewo, where further investigations were conducted.
What the pastor reportedly told investigators
One of the most significant developments disclosed by the human rights organisation concerns the suspect's reported statement during police questioning.
CDHR claimed that Idowu admitted having sexual contact with the teenager.
According to the organisation, the pastor told investigators that he had engaged in sexual activity with the girl on two occasions, although he reportedly described the extent of the contact in his own account.
The human rights group said he remained in police detention at the Gender Unit as investigations continued.
It also disclosed that officers had promised to communicate the date and time of his arraignment once the investigation was concluded.
Meanwhile, CDHR maintained that it was prepared to provide further information and make the victim and other witnesses available whenever the police required their assistance.
Questions over the children's safety
Beyond the allegations of sexual abuse, the threats contained in the petition have raised serious concerns about the safety of the teenager and her elder brother.
The organisation is particularly concerned about the circumstances under which the children lived in the same household as the suspect and the fear they reportedly experienced before the matter reached the police.
For now, the investigation is ongoing, and the allegations will have to be established through the appropriate legal process.
It was reported that efforts to obtain comments from the Investigating Police Officer, Superintendent of Police Kafaya, and the Ogun State Police Command spokesperson, DSP Oluseyi Babaseyi, were unsuccessful.
Messages sent to the police spokesperson seeking clarification on the case had not received a response as of the time the report was filed.
With the suspect still in custody, attention is now turning to the next stage of the investigation and whether the police will eventually bring him before a court to answer the allegations.
For the teenager at the centre of the case, the most immediate concern remains her safety, while the demand for justice continues.
(Source: SaharaReporters)