Breaking: Popular Nigerian preacher arrested with drugs granted bail

A Federal High Court sitting in Lagos State on Friday granted the founder and General Overseer (GO) of Christ Living Hope Church, Reverend Ekwem Emmanuel Ugochukwu, bail.

CityNews Nigeria recalls that Rev. Ugochukwu was arrested with drugs by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos last month.

He was travelling to Nairobi, Kenya, for a crusade for when he was nabbed.

The popular preacher has his church headquartered in Isuaniocha, Mgbakwu road, Awka, Awka North Local Government Area (LGA), Anambra State, and two other branches in Lagos and Abuja.

In his ruling on Friday, the presiding judge, Justice Daniel Osiagor, granted the defendant bail in the sum of N2 million with one surety after his “not guilty” plea to a one-count. The judge also adjourned the trial to June 26.

Osiagor ruled that the surety must be a director in a Federal or Lagos State government establishment. But he remanded the defendant in the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) custody till he perfects his bail conditions.