Former pastor of the Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries (MFM), Femi Jimoh, has reportedly died after years of health challenges following his prolonged detention in connection with an alleged plot to rob the church.
Jimoh’s reported death was announced by UK-based Nigerian blogger Maureen Badejo, who said the former pastor battled serious health complications after spending about nine years in detention and allegedly sustaining a gunshot injury to his leg.
His death has revived public interest in the controversial case, particularly the circumstances surrounding his arrest, his prolonged detention, his eventual acquittal by a Lagos State High Court and allegations he made against some MFM officials.
Jimoh gained wider public attention in 2024 after appearing in an interview with Yoruba Gidi TV, where he gave an emotional account of his experience in detention and alleged that he had spent approximately nine years in custody without trial. 
According to him, his ordeal began after he encountered Michael Olawale Gbadamosi, who was then identified as the Chief Security Officer to MFM founder, Pastor Daniel Olukoya, at a native doctor’s residence in Ogbomoso.
Jimoh alleged that he was subsequently arrested, detained and subjected to physical abuse before being taken into police custody.
He further claimed that a Divisional Police Officer shot him in the leg during his detention.
However, MFM officials denied the allegations and maintained that the matter had been reported to law enforcement authorities because of the seriousness of the alleged crime.
“We must report such to the law enforcement agency saddled with the responsibilities to investigate and deal with such issues. And that was exactly what we did as a responsible church,” an MFM representative said.
Gbadamosi, whom Jimoh accused of meeting at the native doctor’s residence, also denied the allegation.
“I know that Ogbomoso is in Nigeria, but I, Michael Olawale Gbadamosi, have never been to Ogbomoso before,” he said.
Court Acquitted Jimoh, Two Others
The controversy surrounding the case was further heightened by a July 2016 judgment of the Lagos State High Court sitting in Igbosere, which acquitted and discharged Jimoh and two other defendants, Henry Aiyewero and Caleb Oloruntele.
The three men had been charged with conspiracy to rob MFM.
Justice O.A. Williams ruled that the prosecution failed to establish its case beyond reasonable doubt.
The court held that there was insufficient evidence to establish an agreement among the defendants to commit the alleged robbery.
“The prosecution not having proved its case, there is no burden on the defendants to prove their defence,” the judge ruled, adding that the defendants were therefore acquitted and discharged.
A key aspect of the prosecution’s case was a video recording purportedly showing the defendants meeting at a bar to plan the alleged robbery.
However, testimony before the court indicated that the gathering at Jethro Hotel had initially been presented to the hotel management as a movie shoot.
The hotel manager, Paul Effiong, told the court that about 11 people, including the defendants and prosecution witnesses, had gathered at the hotel’s bar after he was informed that a movie would be filmed there.
Effiong said he was surprised when he later saw some of the men on television being described as suspected robbers.
According to court evidence reported by SaharaReporters, Effiong said he later confronted one of the individuals involved and was told that there had been no movie shoot, but rather an “arranged work” or business deal.
The court ultimately found that the prosecution had failed to prove the allegations against Jimoh, Aiyewero and Oloruntele beyond reasonable doubt and consequently acquitted and discharged the three defendants.
Jimoh’s reported death has now brought renewed attention to the circumstances surrounding his long-running ordeal and the unanswered questions that have surrounded the case for years.
