By Sandra Kenneth
A Nigerian preacher operating in Cameroon has fled into hiding after law enforcement officers discovered a mummified body hidden beneath a concrete slab at a compound linked to his church in the capital, Yaoundé.
Cameroonian security agencies, in collaboration with Interpol and border police, have launched an international manhunt for Kedi Samuel Kenechukwu—popularly known as Ekedi Samuel—the founder of the Mercy of God Ministry. Kenechukwu, who has been operating as a self-styled prophet in the country since 2018, was already wanted over allegations of human trafficking, illegal detention, and kidnapping.
According to local reports by the Cameroon Tribune, officers from the Nkoabang Special Police Station uncovered the grave on September 19 during a raid on the ministry’s property. Investigators found a white-and-gold coffin buried approximately 1.5 meters beneath a concrete floor.
Inside the damaged coffin was the mummified body of an unidentified woman, dressed in a traditional blue outfit with gold embroidery. Police noted that the burial setup was non-standard and highly suspicious, with the discovery prompted after local residents vandalized portions of the compound, exposing the concealed underground structure.
The gruesome discovery follows a series of raids on properties associated with the church. On September 6, security personnel raided another site linked to the ministry in the Ngousso neighborhood of Yaoundé, where they rescued 20 people—including ten women, eight men, and two young children—who were being held in a basement.
A subsequent search of the Nkoabang property on September 9 revealed a 30-room complex equipped with commercial freezers, stockpiles of food, multiple vehicles, and an unexplained two-meter-deep pit.
Cameroonian authorities confirm that forensic investigations are ongoing to establish the identity of the deceased woman and the cause of death, while security teams await authorization to search the site for further potential human remains.
