The family of Zachariah Barnabas, a 23-year-old drummer at the Kingdom of Glory Church in Lagos, has leveled accusations against the General Overseer of the church, Pastor Olayinka Samuel, alleging that he is obstructing the investigation into Barnabas’s disappearance.
Zachariah, who had been a paid drummer at the church for four years, reportedly went missing after attending a program at the church on October 11, 2023. His family, concerned about his sudden disappearance, began seeking answers.
According to Janet, Barnabas’s sister, Pastor Samuel provided conflicting stories to the family. He allegedly raised a false alarm, claiming that Barnabas had been found in a hotel. Janet expressed frustration over the lack of concrete information and accused the pastor of hindering the police investigation.
Barnabas’s brother, Israel, recounted Pastor Samuel’s accusations that their missing family member was involved in cult activities and had been involved with multiple girls in the church. Israel found these claims unrelated to Barnabas’s disappearance and urged the government to intervene, compelling the pastor to disclose information about Barnabas’s whereabouts.
In response, Pastor Samuel denied any involvement, accusing the family of attempting to tarnish his name and the church’s reputation. He asserted that on the evening of October 10, after the drumming session concluded around 9 pm, everyone left for their homes. According to Samuel, Barnabas came to the church for a Bible study and later left to cut his hair, allegedly collecting money from a church member. Samuel maintained that he had no knowledge of Barnabas’s whereabouts and criticized the family for directly accusing him.
The situation remains unresolved, with the family seeking government intervention to ascertain the truth about Zachariah Barnabas’s disappearance and hold Pastor Olayinka Samuel accountable for the information surrounding the case.
