The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Kaduna State chapter, has denied knowing Pastor Ade Abraham, who promised to take his members to heaven if they pay a fee of N310,000.

CAN Kaduna state chairman, Rev. John Joseph Hayab, in a statement, said: “The attention of the CAN Kaduna State Chapter has been drawn to the news in circulation in some sections of the media about one Pastor described as Ade Abraham, offering to take his members to heaven if they pay a fee of 310 thousand nairas only.”

The statement added: “Even though Pastor Ade’s offer of a ticket to heaven is cheaper than the ransom Kaduna bandits ask their victims, sadly, CAN has not found anyone who knows the location of the said church or established a church in Kaduna town with that name or in any local government areas in the state.”

According to Rev. Hayab, a faceless character like Ade Abraham can easily give the faith of the community a bad name, especially that CAN cannot trace his whereabouts or find any useful information about his being in Kaduna State.

“How can we have such a pastor and nobody knows him only for us to read about his drama in the media whereas the journalists in Kaduna do not have this information?”

He appealed to whosoever knows Pastor Ade Abraham or the location of a Church in Kaduna linked to the alleged person to furnish their association with the information so that they could work with security agencies to prevent what could further compound the security challenges faced in the state.

“CAN will not decide what sermon her priests should preach but CAN will not hesitate to expose fake preachers when she finds one, especially when the sermon contradicts the teachings contained in the Holy Scriptures,” the statement explained.

He also called for a proper investigation of Pastor Ade Abraham’s identity, and the location of his ministry to put the record straight to avoid creating panic and misleading the public.

Thelagostimes gathered that the cleric was accused of telling his church members that a camp located in Araromi-Ugbesi in Oluo-Oke, Ekiti state is where rapture will take place.

A member of Abraham’s church, who pleaded anonymity, told NAN that the cleric first relocated to Ekiti in 2021 from Kaduna state.

The church member added that the cleric preached that the camp located in Ekiti is where “the gate of heaven will open for all of them to fly to heaven”.

“He later returned to Kaduna state in April to ask each member of his church to pay him N310,000 before they will be allowed to follow him to Araromi-Ugbesi in Omuo-Oke-Ekiti in Ekiti east,’’ NAN quoted the church member as saying.