The Anambra State Government has confirmed the arrest of Pastor Harrison Charles, founder of Day Spring Assembly in Awada, Onitsha, over allegations that he took dozens of married women from their husbands and made them his wives.
Operatives of Agunechemba, the state security outfit, picked up the cleric on Friday following viral videos containing several allegations against him. The videos included confessions and accusations by alleged victims who claimed the pastor forced members into wife-swapping and took some members’ wives for himself. One woman in a viral video accused the cleric of marrying about 75 wives, marrying underage girls, taking other men’s wives, and using charms to deceive members.
“Pastor Harrison Charles, owner of Day Spring Assembly in Awada, Onitsha, was arrested by operatives of Agunechemba following a viral video containing several allegations against him,” Special Adviser to Governor Chukwuma Soludo on Media, Dr Ejimofor Opara, said in a Facebook post. He confirmed that the pastor has been handed over to the police and is currently being investigated by the Anambra State Police Command in collaboration with the state government.
During the arrest, operatives found about eleven babies in his home. According to Dr Opara, the cleric claimed to be the father of the eleven children, stating they were born by eleven of his wives. “He also claims he does not know the number of wives he has married or the total number of children he has,” Opara stated.
The allegations surfaced amid the state government’s ongoing crackdown on fake pastors and religious leaders accused of exploiting members of the public. The clampdown had earlier led to the arraignment of eight suspected fake pastors in court, with more victims coming forward to share their experiences since the exercise began.
Dr Opara called on anyone with information on the pastor’s activities to report to the state government. “While investigations continue, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Community Security, Mr Ken Emeakayi, has urged anyone with additional information to report it to the State Government via 08034182108,” he said.
The state government said the pastor is being investigated for violations of the Anambra Homeland Security Law 2025, including sexual misconduct, marrying underage girls, and taking church members’ wives.
