Thirty-six-year old Chukwuemeka Nwocha, the General Overseer of Tongue of Fire Restoration Ministry located in Igbosere, Lagos, was yesterday paraded before journalists at the State Police Command Headquarters in Ikeja.

The “spiritual daddy” was arrested during the week for harbouring 13 under-aged girls as sex slaves in a three-bedroom apartment.

He told newsmen that the whole issue started when the children in his church, who called him, “Daddy, daddy” told him they would like to visit him.

Nwocha said, “I only tried to help the girls. When the first girl came, she said she did not have anywhere to go. I did not know her parents. I am a pastor and I felt pity for her. After spending three days, I told her she needed to go out and bring some of her relations so that they would know where she was. But she did not.

“Later, some parents in my church also said they would like to send their chidlren to live with me. Some of them came to spend holidays after their exam.”

He insisted the parents knew they were in his house.

“I am a pastor, the devil only used the children against me. I did not rape them. I only slept with Sola (real name withheld). She is my girlfriend and we actually planned to marry.”

When asked how old the girl he mentioned was, he said she was about to clock 17.

Asked again if the parents of the girls he claimed knew their whereabouts also knew he was sexually abusing them, he said yes.

The Commissioner of Police, Lagos State, Mr. Fatai Owoseni, had said that the pastor haboured the girls with the promise of paying their school fees, feeding them and buying gifts for them.

“While they were in his house, three of them became pregnant and he took them for abortions. He first denied all the allegations but like all criminals, he later confessed to raping them without using protection,” the CP said.