A woman in Nigeria was set on fire by a pastor while he allegedly tried to perform a deliverance on the woman to “rid her of demonic evil.”
Sakura Owodunni, 21, has severe burns following the Aug. 17 incident in Ogun State in southwestern Nigeria, Faithwire reports.
According to PUNCH Metro, a pastor invited Owudunni to the Cherubim and Seraphim Maberu Parish for a “special prayer” and instructed her to bring perfume, eggs and a candle with her.
When she arrived, he poured the perfume on her and then lit the candle, starting a fire that burned her chest, shoulder and legs.
SP Omolola Odutola, a public relations officer for authorities, told PUNCH Metro an investigation is ongoing. The pastor has also been arrested.
“Our men have arrested the suspect,” Odutola said. “The case will be transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department after the preliminary investigation is perfected.”
Odutola also added that Owodduni was left to pay for the medical expenses of the treatment and hospitalization.
“The lady was said to have been abandoned to fend for her medical bills after the incident. The victim has been taken to the hospital for medical attention,” Odutola said.
According to Crosswalk.com, deliverance ministry is a complex and highly debated concept. Such ministries have one purpose, “to deliver us from evil spirits or heal us from an illness or ailment,” but what that entails can vary.
Professor of New Testament and Greek at Toccoa Falls College, Dr. Günther Juncker, offers several definitions for deliverance ministry, saying it is “the name commonly given to Christian individuals or ministries who believe (1) that Christians can have demons inside them; (2) that there are specific methods, techniques, and prayers for discerning the presence of demons and for casting them out; and (3) that such exorcisms are a necessary prerequisite for living a successful and victorious Christian life.”
Related:
What Is Deliverance Ministry and Is it Biblical?
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Amanda Casanova is a writer living in Dallas, Texas. She has covered news for ChristianHeadlines.com since 2014. She has also contributed to The Houston Chronicle, U.S. News and World Report and IBelieve.com. She blogs at The Migraine Runner.
