A pastor identified as Ifediorah Onyeibor Joseph of the Lord Victory Covenant Mission Church in Port Harcourt, has explained why he bathed children in his church with water mixed with pigeon blood, a ritual that has sparked public outrage.Speaking
in an interview with Newsmen Joseph claimed he acted based on divine instruction to carry out what he described as a spiritual cleansing exercise intended to protect the children from evil forces.
According to the pastor, the ritual, which lasted several days, involved slaughtering pigeons and mixing their blood with water before pouring it over the children. He insisted that the act was not harmful but rather a biblical form of purification. His explanation came after the Rivers State Police Command arrested him alongside several church members following a viral video that captured the controversial practice.
The police have since taken the rescued children into protective custody while investigations continue. Rivers State Commissioner of Police, Olugbenga A. Adepoju, condemned the act, describing it as dehumanizing and illegal. He urged the public to report similar incidents to protect minors from exploitation under the guise of religion.
