BBC Africa Eye uncovers evidence of abuse and torture by church leader
Evidence of abuse and torture by the founder of one of the world’s biggest Christian evangelical churches has been uncovered by BBC World Service’s investigation unit, BBC Africa Eye.
In a three-part television documentary, Disciples: The Cult of TB Joshua, and a new nine-episode season of the World of Secrets podcast, dozens of the former members of the Synagogue Church of all Nations allege atrocities, including rape and forced abortions, by the late TB Joshua.
The atrocities are said to have taken place over 30 years with more than 25 former members of the church speaking to the BBC about it. The British victims were all between 15 and 21 years old when they joined the church and many BBC interviewees compared their experiences to like being in a cult.
When he died, in June 2021, TB Joshua was hailed as one of the most influential pastors in African history. Rising from poverty in Nigeria in the 1990s, he built an evangelical empire stretching across the globe, and counted among his associates dozens of political leaders, celebrities and international footballers.
This is the first time former church insiders have come forward to speak, saying they’ve previously been silenced.
Some of the witnesses in Nigeria claim they were physically attacked, and in one case shot at, after speaking out against the abuse and posting videos containing allegations.
A BBC crew that tried to record footage of the church’s Lagos compound from a public street in March 2022 was also fired at by the church’s security and was detained at gunpoint for hours.
Four of the British citizens who spoke to the BBC say they reported the abuse to the UK police after escaping the church and were referred to Interpol. They claim no further action was taken.
Also, a British husband and wife sent eyewitness accounts of their ordeal, and video evidence, to the British High Commission in Nigeria in March 2010 after fleeing the church.
The woman said she was repeatedly sexually assaulted and raped by Joshua. They warned the commission that other British nationals were still inside the compound facing atrocities. They also claim no action was taken.
TB Joshua’s wife, Evelyn still runs the Synagogue Church of all Nations and when the BBC got in touch with the allegations, the church didn’t respond to their detail, but did say: “Making unfounded allegations against Prophet TB Joshua is not a new occurrence. None of the allegations was ever substantiated.”
A spokesperson for UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office said: “We take all reports of crime, including sexual assault and violence against British nationals overseas, very seriously.
“We always encourage British nationals who want to raise rape and sexual assault allegations, whether current or historic, to contact our consular teams who can support them to report these to the authorities.”
Disciples: The Cult of TB Joshua, from the BBC World Service in co-production with openDemocracy, is available for viewing in the UK via BBC iPlayer and internationally on BBC World Service YouTube channel.
The new season of the podcast World of Secrets – The Disciples is available on BBC Sounds and most podcast platforms. It will also be broadcast on BBC World Service radio in a six-week series from 04.30 GMT on Wednesday 10 January. Read the story on the BBC News website.