Church Allegedly Scammed, Left Roofless in Awka

Leaders, clergy and members of All Saints Anglican Church, Amaenyi, Awka, have been left in shock following an alleged scam that has left the church building without a roof.

According to accounts from members of the church, a young man who claimed to be a member of the congregation approached the church leadership and offered to sponsor the complete reroofing of the church as a thanksgiving to God. He reportedly said he wanted to appreciate the church for its prayers and support during a difficult period in his life.

The man allegedly advised the church leadership to obtain the cost of the project and engage carpenters to remove the old roof in preparation for the installation of new roofing materials.

Sources within the church claimed that after the old roofing sheets and wooden materials were removed, the suspect allegedly sold the dismantled materials to a scrap dealer for ₦67,000.

The carpenter handling the project was then reportedly instructed to purchase new roofing materials. The materials, according to the sources, cost about ₦987,000. When the carpenter attempted to contact the supposed sponsor to make payment, his phone number was no longer reachable.

Church leaders were immediately informed, but the man could not be found.

The incident has reportedly left the church building without a roof, while members are still trying to come to terms with what happened. Reports also indicate that church leaders have restricted access to the premises to prevent people from taking photographs of the roofless building.

As of the time of this report, there has been no official statement from the church leadership or the Nigeria Police regarding the incident, and the allegations remain unverified.