The Cherubim and Seraphim Unification Church of Nigeria has said the self-styled pastor, who allegedly slaughtered a student of the Lagos State University, Segun Philips, is not its member.

PUNCH Metro had reported that the 400-level undergraduate of the Department of Theatre Arts, LASU, Favour Daley-Oladele, after a short visit to her parents in the Mowe area of Ogun State, departed for school on December 8, 2019, but while on her way, she went to see one Owolabi Adeeko, said to be her boyfriend, at an undisclosed location.

Owolabi allegedly lured Favour to the Ikoyi-Ile area around Apomu and Ikire in Osun State, where he connived with his mother and Philips to kill and use the 22-year-old’s body parts for money rituals.

Philips reportedly used a knife to slit Favour’s throat, ripped her chest open, removed her heart and breasts, and used them to prepare a concoction for Owolabi and his mother to eat.

However, the church in a statement by its Chief Public Relations Officer, Apostle M. O. Adeyemi, stated that there was no record that Philips was associated with the church or its officers in the Irewolede/Isokan Local Government Area of Osun State, where he allegedly committed the heinous crime.

Adeyemi stated, “We have contacted all our officers in the zone and they said they did not know him or his church. Besides, our youth fellowship members went as far as locating his church and came with the reports, including photographs, that there was no signpost or imprint of the C&S in his place of worship.”

Meanwhile, Mrs Bola Adeeko, the mother of the 23-year-old, Owolabi has denied involvement in the murder.

Bola claimed that she was deceived by her son and Philips that the heart of a goat was used to prepare a concoction for her and Owolabi.

She explained that the pastor asked her to make a sacrifice by feeding many persons, unknown to her that he had made a secret pact with Owolabi to use a human heart for the concoction.

She said she gave the pastor N210,000 to buy a goat whose meat would be shared with residents of the community where the church is located.

She denied involvement in Favour’s killing, describing it as wickedness.

Bola stated, “I did not know anything about the girl’s killing. I was surprised when the police told me that my son had committed murder.

“I wasn’t aware that the concoction given to me was made with human parts. I am devastated. In fact, I have not eaten anything since Friday, when I was arrested.”