An investigation by the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), has detailed how the late founder of Synagogue Church of All Nations (SCOAN), Pastor Temitope Balogun Joshua, popularly known as TB. Joshua, told some women he allegedly molested sexually that he was doing so for their salvation.
The revelation was made in a 3-part documentary set to be released by the British paper on the 8 of January 2024.
It detailed the secret lifestyle of the millionaire cleric who died on June 5, 2021 after a heart attack.
The documentary revealed tales of abuse, harassment, rape, manipulation, and staged miracles.
Sources told the BBC that the church knew about all the allegations but never investigated them. They alleged the sexual crime spanned over two decades.
Survivors of TB Joshua’s sexual exploitation recounted how they were manipulated and silenced even when they knew the relationship they had with “daddy” was abusive.
These women were part of TB Joshua’s discipleship. Several women narrated how he molested and raped them. A few women who resisted his assault at first were threatened into submission, one of the women told the BBC.
TB Joshua told the women he was sexually assaulting them for their salvation, all the women said. These women joined the synagogue when they were teenagers and spent years before finally leaving.
A woman identified as Abisola said she was in the church for 14 years and was raped throughout her stay. When the women get pregnant as a result of being raped many times, they were forced to get an abortion in a dirty clinic inside the church.
“We went into his room and I stood there. He said ‘off your clothes’ so I removed my clothes he just pointed so I lay down and then he raped me. He broke my virginity. I was screaming and he was whispering in my ears that I should stop acting like a baby. I was 17 years old. I was underage,” one of the women said.
Also, one of the survivors confronted TB Joshua after she managed to escape. She recorded the encounter in videos she shared with the BBC.
In the video, a security officer was heard threatening to shoot at the lady. Survivors said they were targeted, beaten, and shot at by thugs suspected of working for the pastor.