Cameroonian Pastor fleeing Nigeria Accused of Orchestrating Nigerian Web Designer’s Arrest and Detention

Jean Michel Tchamba, a self-proclaimed Cameroonian pastor based in the UK, has been accused of using the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) to arrest and detain Nigerian web designer John Asanga before fleeing the country.

A family source who spoke to SaharaReporters on Friday revealed that in August 2023, John was introduced to Pastor Tchamba by his sister, Blessing Asanga. The source described Tchamba as a Cameroonian national with a British passport who presented himself as both a pastor and an employee at University College Hospital in London.

“He approached John to develop IT solutions for his church, NGO, and other projects, including video content, graphics, jingles, websites, and a medical portal,” the source said.

Tchamba allegedly claimed that developers in London had quoted nearly £200,000 (₦400 million) for the medical portal alone. After much persuasion, John agreed to develop each portal for ₦14 million.

Initially, Tchamba paid ₦7 million in installments, allowing John to assemble a team and start work. However, he later diverted part of the payment toward additional tasks, such as a church portal, causing delays in completing the original project.

“As John worked, he uncovered disturbing activities linked to Pastor Jean, including money laundering and visa fraud disguised as religious initiatives,” the source said.

John later discovered that the real financier of the medical project was a man named Mr. Fon, introduced to him by Tchamba’s UK-based associate. When John disclosed to Mr. Fon that the delays were due to Tchamba’s mismanagement of funds, the pastor became hostile and started issuing threats.

Arrest Just Days Before Wedding

On October 7, 2024—just two days before John’s wedding—armed NSCDC operatives stormed an office where he was delivering a final project presentation.

“Without prior notice or an invitation, John was handcuffed, humiliated, and detained. At their headquarters, he endured verbal abuse, denial of medical care, and restricted access to his lawyer for three days,” the source said.

Despite providing evidence of Tchamba’s fraudulent activities, NSCDC operatives forced John to rewrite his statement multiple times, ensuring that any incriminating details about Tchamba were removed. They then confiscated his work without paying the balance, threatening to disrupt his wedding if he refused to comply.

After his release, John discovered that the medical conference he had organized was moved to another venue using his work, resulting in significant financial losses.

A Second Arrest and Further Intimidation

Immediately after his wedding, John was arrested again in a dramatic raid at his residence. This time, he was falsely accused of stealing a laptop and phone belonging to Tchamba and was detained without due process.

While in NSCDC custody, he was subjected to isolation, harsh treatment, and medical neglect. When he suffered a medical emergency, his condition was ignored until an operative finally intervened. After three days, he was released—only to learn that Tchamba had fled Nigeria.

John’s lawyer later sent a formal demand to Tchamba, requesting payment of the outstanding balance and warning that the matter would be reported to UK authorities. In response, Tchamba allegedly sent hired assassins to John’s residence twice to intimidate him into silence. Fearing for their safety, John and his wife went into hiding but reported the threats to the Nigerian police.

A Dubious Court Case and Imprisonment

Shortly after, John received a court order to appear before a Magistrate Court in Kuje. However, upon arriving, he sensed that the magistrate had already been compromised.

“The hearing lasted less than five minutes before the magistrate ordered that John be remanded at Kuje Correctional Centre for one month until the next hearing,” the source explained.

His bail conditions were set at two sureties and ₦10 million in physical cash to be deposited in court.

It took the intervention of the High Court in Jabi for John to finally secure bail after spending 21 days in Kuje prison.