BBC uncovers evidence of widespread abuse and t*rture by the late TB Joshua, founder of one of the world’s largest Christian evangelical churches. Former members, including five Britons, allege atrocities such as r*pe and forced ab*rtions spanning nearly two decades within a secretive Lagos compound. The Synagogue Church of All Nations did not respond to the allegations, emphasizing previous claims as unfounded. TB Joshua, a charismatic preacher and televangelist, passed away in 2021, leaving a significant global following. The BBC’s two-year investigation reveals disturbing details.
The two-year BBC investigation unveils numerous distressing revelations, including dozens of eyewitness accounts describing physical v!olence and torture by TB Joshua, encompassing instances of ch!ld abuse, people being whipped, and chained. Numerous women allege s*xual assault by Joshua, some claiming repeated r*pe for years within the compound. Multiple allegations emerge of forced ab*rtions following the alleged r*pes, with one woman asserting five terminations. First-hand accounts expose how Joshua fabricated “miracle healings,” broadcast to millions worldwide.
Recruited into the church at 21, a British woman named Rae abandoned her degree at Brighton University in 2002, spending the next 12 years as one of TB Joshua’s “disciples” within his maze-like concrete compound in Lagos. Describing the experience, she told the BBC,
“We all thought we were in heaven, but we were in hell, and in hell terrible things happen.” Rae alleges s*xual assault by Joshua and endured a two-year period of solitary confinement, leading to multiple su!cide attempts inside the compound. The Synagogue Church of All Nations (SCOAN), with its global following and Christian TV channel, Emmanuel TV, attracted pilgrims worldwide in the 1990s and early 2000s. At least 150 visitors lived as disciples within Joshua’s Lagos compound, some for decades.
Over 25 former “disciples” shared their experiences with the BBC, spanning the UK, Nigeria, US, South Africa, Ghana, Namibia, and Germany. Their compelling testimonies, with some as recent as 2019, shed light on their time within the church, often joining as teenagers. In certain British cases, transport to Lagos was facilitated by Joshua, in collaboration with other UK churches.
Rae and others likened their experiences to being in a cult. Jessica Kaimu, from Namibia, endured over five years of ordeal, stating she was 17 when first r*ped by Joshua. Multiple instances of r*pe led to five forced ab*rtions during her time there. Describing the medical procedures as risky, she emphasized the potential danger.
Interviewees detailed further abuse, including being stripped, beaten with electrical cables and horse whips, and routinely deprived of sleep.
Despite his hailed influence in African history upon his death in June 2021, TB Joshua faced controversy during his lifetime, notably when a guesthouse for church pilgrims collapsed in 2014, resulting in the death of at least 116 people.
In collaboration with the international media platform Open Democracy, the BBC’s investigation marks the first instance of multiple former church insiders speaking on the record. Despite years of attempting to raise alarms, these individuals claim effective silencing.
Several witnesses in Nigeria assert physical att*cks, including one case of being shot at, after publicly speaking out against abuse and posting allegations on YouTube. In March 2022, a BBC crew attempting to film the church’s Lagos compound from a public street faced g*nfire from the church’s security and was detained for several hours.
Contacting SCOAN with the investigation’s allegations yielded no response, but the church denied previous claims against TB Joshua, stating, “Making unfounded allegations against Prophet TB Joshua is not a new occurrence… None of the allegations was ever substantiated.”
Four British citizens who spoke to the BBC reported the ab*se to UK authorities upon escaping the church, claiming no further action was taken.
A British couple shared their harrowing experience, complete with video evidence, including recordings of being held at g*npoint by individuals claiming to be police and members of SCOAN. They emailed these accounts to the British High Commission in Nigeria in March 2010 after escaping the church. The man reported his wife’s repeated s*xual assaults and r*pes by Joshua, warning that other Britons remained inside, facing atrocities. Regrettably, he claims no action was taken.
The UK Foreign Office didn’t respond to these claims but emphasized to the BBC its serious consideration of all reports of crime, including those involving s*xual assault and v!olence against British nationals abroad.
Under the leadership of Joshua’s widow, Evelyn, SCOAN continues to thrive. In July 2023, she led a tour of Spain. Anneka, who joined SCOAN from Derby at 17, believes there are many more victims yet to speak out. She advocates for a thorough investigation into why Joshua was able to function for so long in the manner he did. “I believe the Synagogue Church of All Nations needs a thorough investigation into why this man was able to function for so long the way he did,” she emphasized.