A Nigerian pastor wanted by Cameroonian security authorities has reportedly gone into hiding after a mummified body was discovered buried beneath a concrete slab at a property linked to his church in Yaoundé.
The body was uncovered on September 19 at about 9am by officers of the Nkoabang Special Police Station during an ongoing investigation involving Kedi Samuel Kenechukwu, also known as Ekedi Samuel, reports Cameroon Tribune.
Kenechukwu, founder of Mercy of God Ministry, is wanted by Cameroonian authorities over allegations including human trafficking, arrest and kidnapping.
Several Cameroonian media outlets have reported on the investigation, with Camer.be describing Kenechukwu as a Nigerian prophet who had operated in Cameroon since 2018.
According to Cameroon Tribune, investigators found a white-and-gold coffin buried about 1.5 metres beneath a concrete slab at the property in Nkoabang.
The body inside was reportedly in a state of mummification.
“The lid is broken. Inside, a body, a lady at first sight, dressed in a traditional blue outfit with gold embroidery, in a state of mummification, rests on a padding. This is not a normal grave,” the newspaper reported.
The discovery reportedly followed the vandalisation of parts of the property by residents, prompting investigators to uncover the concealed underground area.
Authorities were said to be awaiting authorisation to conduct further searches of the property for possible additional remains.
However, the identity of the deceased and the circumstances surrounding the person’s death had not been established as of the report.
The discovery came about 10 days after investigators searched the same Nkoabang property on September 9.
During that operation, security officials reportedly found five vehicles, several hundred kilogrammes of food, functioning freezers and about 30 rooms on the premises.
A pit measuring about two metres in depth was also reportedly discovered, although investigators had yet to establish its purpose.
The Nkoabang investigation followed an earlier operation at another property associated with Mercy of God Ministry in Ngousso, Yaoundé, on September 6.
Twenty people — 10 women, eight men and two children aged six and seven — were reportedly found in a basement at the property.
The findings subsequently prompted security agencies to widen their investigation to other locations allegedly connected to the ministry.
Kenechukwu remains at large, with Cameroonian authorities reportedly alerting border police and involving Interpol in efforts to locate him.
The investigation into the activities at the properties, the identity of the deceased and the circumstances surrounding the discovery of the body remains ongoing.
