Dozens of ex-Synagogue Church of all Nations members - five British - allege atrocities, including rape and forced abortions, by Nigeria's late TB Joshua.
The allegations of abuse in a secretive Lagos compound span almost 20 years.
The Synagogue Church of All Nations did not respond to the allegations but said previous claims have been unfounded. TB Joshua, who died in 2021, was a charismatic and hugely successful preacher and televangelist who had an immense global following.
The BBC's findings over a two-year investigation include:
Dozens of eyewitness accounts of physical violence or torture carried out by Joshua, including instances of child abuse and people being whipped and chained
Numerous women who say they were sexually assaulted by Joshua, with a number claiming they were repeatedly raped for years inside the compound
Multiple allegations of forced abortions inside the church following the alleged rapes by Joshua, including one woman who says she had five terminations
Multiple first-hand accounts detailing how Joshua faked his "miracle healings", which were broadcast to millions of people around the world
One of the victims, a British woman, called Rae, was 21 years old when she abandoned her degree at Brighton University in 2002 and was recruited into the church. She spent the next 12 years as one of Joshua's so-called "disciples" inside his maze-like concrete compound in Lagos.
"We all thought we were in heaven, but we were in hell, and in hell terrible things happen," she told the BBC.
Rae says she was sexually assaulted by Joshua and subjected to a form of solitary confinement for two years. The abuse was so severe, she says she attempted suicide multiple times inside the compound.
The Synagogue Church of All Nations [Scoan] has a global following, operating a Christian TV channel called Emmanuel TV and social media networks with millions of viewers. Throughout the 1990s and early 2000s, tens of thousands of pilgrims from Europe, the Americas, South East Asia and Africa travelled to the church in Nigeria to witness Joshua performing "healing miracles". At least 150 visitors lived with him as disciples inside his compound in Lagos, sometimes for decades.
More than 25 former "disciples" spoke to the BBC - from the UK, Nigeria, US, South Africa, Ghana, Namibia and Germany - giving powerful corroborating testimony about their experiences within the church, with the most recent experiences in 2019. Many victims were in their teens when they first joined. In some of the British cases, their transport to Lagos was paid for by Joshua, in co-ordination with other UK churches.
Rae and multiple other interviewees compared their experiences to being in a cult.
Jessica Kaimu, from Namibia, says her ordeal lasted more than five years. She says she was 17 when Joshua first raped her, and that subsequent instances of rape by TB Joshua led to her having five forced abortions while there.
"These were backdoor type… medical treatments that we were going through… it could have killed us," she told the BBC.
Other interviewees say they were stripped and beaten with electrical cables and horse whips, and routinely denied sleep.
A shocking journey into a maze of manipulation and terrifying abuse perpetrated by one of the most powerful religious figures of the 21st Century
On his death in June 2021, TB Joshua was hailed as one of the most influential pastors in African history. Rising from poverty, he built an evangelical empire that counted dozens of political leaders, celebrities and international footballers among his associates.
He did, however, attract some controversy during his lifetime when a guesthouse for church pilgrims collapsed in 2014, killing at least 116 people.
The BBC's investigation, which was carried out with international media platform Open Democracy, is the first time multiple former church insiders have come forward to speak on the record. They say they've spent years trying to raise the alarm, but have effectively been silenced.
A number of our witnesses in Nigeria claim they were physically attacked, and in one case shot at, after previously speaking out against the abuse and posting videos containing allegations on YouTube.
A BBC crew that attempted to record footage of the church's Lagos compound from a public street in March 2022 was also fired at by the church's security, and was detained for a number of hours.
The BBC contacted Scoan with the allegations in our investigation. It did not respond to them, but denied previous claims against TB Joshua.
"Making unfounded allegations against Prophet TB Joshua is not a new occurrence… None of the allegations was ever substantiated," it wrote.
Four of the British citizens who spoke to the BBC say they reported the abuse to the UK authorities after escaping the church. They say no further action was taken.
In addition, a British man and his wife emailed eyewitness accounts of their ordeal and video evidence - including recordings of being held at gunpoint by men describing themselves as police who are also members of Scoan - to the British High Commission in Nigeria in March 2010 after fleeing the church. In his email, the man said his wife had been repeatedly sexually assaulted and raped by Joshua. He warned the commission that other British nationals were still inside the compound facing atrocities.
He also says no action was taken.
The UK Foreign Office did not respond to these claims, but told the BBC that it takes all reports of crime, including sexual assault and violence against British nationals overseas, very seriously.
Scoan continues to thrive today, under the leadership of Joshua's widow, Evelyn. In July 2023, she led a tour of Spain.
Anneka, who left Derby in the UK to join Scoan at the age of 17, told the BBC she believes there are many other victims who have yet to speak out. She hopes further steps will be taken to uncover Joshua's actions.
"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 said.
Every time, it's one allegation or the other, but it was never proven. These allegations are fabricated or they are sponsored by the people who are surprised that his church is still standing, after his dead.
NwaNimo1: Evidence of widespread abuse and torture by the founder of one of the world's biggest Christian evangelical churches has been uncovered by the BBC.
Dozens of ex-Synagogue Church of all Nations members - five British - allege atrocities, including rape and forced abortions, by Nigeria's late TB Joshua.
The allegations of abuse in a secretive Lagos compound span almost 20 years.
The Synagogue Church of All Nations did not respond to the allegations but said previous claims have been unfounded.
TB Joshua, who died in 2021, was a charismatic and hugely successful preacher and televangelist who had an immense global following.
The BBC's findings over a two-year investigation include:
Dozens of eyewitness accounts of physical violence or torture carried out by Joshua, including instances of child abuse and people being whipped and chained
Numerous women who say they were sexually assaulted by Joshua, with a number claiming they were repeatedly raped for years inside the compound
Multiple allegations of forced abortions inside the church following the alleged rapes by Joshua, including one woman who says she had five terminations
Multiple first-hand accounts detailing how Joshua faked his "miracle healings", which were broadcast to millions of people around the world One of the victims, a British woman, called Rae, was 21 years old when she abandoned her degree at Brighton University in 2002 and was recruited into the church. She spent the next 12 years as one of Joshua's so-called "disciples" inside his maze-like concrete compound in Lagos.
"We all thought we were in heaven, but we were in hell, and in hell terrible things happen," she told the BBC.
Rae says she was sexually assaulted by Joshua and subjected to a form of solitary confinement for two years. The abuse was so severe, she says she attempted suicide multiple times inside the compound.
The Synagogue Church of All Nations [Scoan] has a global following, operating a Christian TV channel called Emmanuel TV and social media networks with millions of viewers. Throughout the 1990s and early 2000s, tens of thousands of pilgrims from Europe, the Americas, South East Asia and Africa travelled to the church in Nigeria to witness Joshua performing "healing miracles". At least 150 visitors lived with him as disciples inside his compound in Lagos, sometimes for decades.
More than 25 former "disciples" spoke to the BBC - from the UK, Nigeria, US, South Africa, Ghana, Namibia and Germany - giving powerful corroborating testimony about their experiences within the church, with the most recent experiences in 2019. Many victims were in their teens when they first joined. In some of the British cases, their transport to Lagos was paid for by Joshua, in co-ordination with other UK churches.
Rae and multiple other interviewees compared their experiences to being in a cult.
Jessica Kaimu, from Namibia, says her ordeal lasted more than five years. She says she was 17 when Joshua first raped her, and that subsequent instances of rape by TB Joshua led to her having five forced abortions while there.
"These were backdoor type… medical treatments that we were going through… it could have killed us," she told the BBC.
Other interviewees say they were stripped and beaten with electrical cables and horse whips, and routinely denied sleep.
A shocking journey into a maze of manipulation and terrifying abuse perpetrated by one of the most powerful religious figures of the 21st Century
On his death in June 2021, TB Joshua was hailed as one of the most influential pastors in African history. Rising from poverty, he built an evangelical empire that counted dozens of political leaders, celebrities and international footballers among his associates.
He did, however, attract some controversy during his lifetime when a guesthouse for church pilgrims collapsed in 2014, killing at least 116 people.
The BBC's investigation, which was carried out with international media platform Open Democracy, is the first time multiple former church insiders have come forward to speak on the record. They say they've spent years trying to raise the alarm, but have effectively been silenced.
A number of our witnesses in Nigeria claim they were physically attacked, and in one case shot at, after previously speaking out against the abuse and posting videos containing allegations on YouTube.
A BBC crew that attempted to record footage of the church's Lagos compound from a public street in March 2022 was also fired at by the church's security, and was detained for a number of hours.
The BBC contacted Scoan with the allegations in our investigation. It did not respond to them, but denied previous claims against TB Joshua.
"Making unfounded allegations against Prophet TB Joshua is not a new occurrence… None of the allegations was ever substantiated," it wrote.
Four of the British citizens who spoke to the BBC say they reported the abuse to the UK authorities after escaping the church. They say no further action was taken.
In addition, a British man and his wife emailed eyewitness accounts of their ordeal and video evidence - including recordings of being held at gunpoint by men describing themselves as police who are also members of Scoan - to the British High Commission in Nigeria in March 2010 after fleeing the church. In his email, the man said his wife had been repeatedly sexually assaulted and raped by Joshua. He warned the commission that other British nationals were still inside the compound facing atrocities.
He also says no action was taken.
The UK Foreign Office did not respond to these claims, but told the BBC that it takes all reports of crime, including sexual assault and violence against British nationals overseas, very seriously.
Scoan continues to thrive today, under the leadership of Joshua's widow, Evelyn. In July 2023, she led a tour of Spain.
Anneka, who left Derby in the UK to join Scoan at the age of 17, told the BBC she believes there are many other victims who have yet to speak out. She hopes further steps will be taken to uncover Joshua's actions.
"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 said.
TB Joshua was a false prophet and I believe everything negative said about him in the documentary. I had the opportunity to witness firsthand his deceptive and manipulative tactics when I visited his church over 10 years ago. Such a house of demons that his coven was
I hate the way the white people always try to ridicule and stereotype African top performers. Even after death, the white demons are still angry with TB Joshua due to how he seriously dealt with them. Hence they are all out for cheap blackmail and propaganda against a dead man. Foolish HomoSapiens called "British" have been trying hard to cause confusion in West Africa since 1860.
No one is talking about Benny Hinn and other foreign pastors who performed greater miracles across the world. Why are the foolish British demons after TB Joshua even after death?. He should be left for God to judge.
The Europeans should be ashamed of themselves because they manipulated and introduced the foreign religion to the West Africans. Some smart Africans took it up and outshined their pretentious religious craft. So, why are the British now crying over spilt milk?
Tingotoe: TB Joshua was a false prophet and I believe everything negative said about him in the documentary. I had the opportunity to witness firsthand his deceptive and manipulative tactics when I visited his church over 10 years ago. Such a house of demons that his coven was
You should be publicly flogged mercilessly like a common thief.
You must be part of the syndicate of false prophesies because you claimed you visited the church over 10 years and you never said anything while TB Joshua was alive. You are now here on social media saying rubbish to already dead man. Stop advertising your foolishness please.
These British people must think of themselves as God. Everything about the video is how TB Joshua wanted white people to serve him. I ask, "And so fvcking what?" Don't the Blacks serve the white everywhere in the world? What's the big deal if the reverse was the case? By the way, why didn't they release the documentary when the man was alive?
Throughout the interview, the BBC brought two Nigerians and asked them questions about the the prophet. TB Joshua had thousands of workers. Go and ask them about TB Joshua; they will tell you a different story. Dude was the most generous preacher I have ever seen. He even took his charitable works to Asia and performed miracles around the world.
From Mexico to South Korea, Israel to the UK, hundreds of thousands of locals filled their stadia to capacity to watch Prophet Joshua pray for the sick and they received their healings - they received healings for medical cases doctors gave up on while others were exorcised. At least I watched those myself on Emmanuel TV. No Nigerian preacher had ever achieved that. This yeye documentary didn't tell us this part.
I will only be worried sick if those TB Joshua prayed for and they received their healing come in their large numbers to say that their healings were reversed after he died. That was the case of Eddy Nawgu, the infamous Anambra ritualist that Bakassi Boys beheaded. Until then, this is just one documentary by a pompous, egoistic and narcissistic people who think they are too important to work for Black people but don't mind enslaving the Blacks.
You should be publicly flogged mercilessly like a common thief.
You must be part of the syndicate of false prophesies because you claimed you visited the church over 10 years and you never said anything while TB Joshua was alive. You are now here on social media saying rubbish to already dead man. Stop advertising your foolishness please.
: You can resurrect the false prophet from the dead and ask him to come and flog me. Brainwashed blockhead like you
In one of the world's largest churches an "anointed prophet" raped and raped and raped his female disciples for decades and "performing miracles" until he kicked the bucket. Tb Joshua is in heaven now having "given his life..."- na so una say!
Thr UK don't joke with lives and welfare of their citizens, why will UK citizens report to UK authorities that they just escaped death and other dangers and that there were still other UK citizens still in danger and the UK did nothing? That shows there is a lie somewhere , the report is either fake, or there is something we are not being told
How come all the Lagos Ibadan press didn't do this and it took an external body to do it.
I am very sure there millions of underground activities deliberately left untouched by Nigeria journalism like the endemic human ritual going on in the south west, scam churches in Lagos, falsification of economic data by government and organisations to hoodwink the gullible public.
The guy uses dark means to hold his people down..!! There is a documentary on him by one of his followers when he was alive...!! Thr lady said in the documentary that all the Police station around the vicinity of his synagogue are on his payroll so if any as much as go to report any case there if not lucky would be killed...!!
While the guy was busy performing his fake miracles, there are dozens among his disciples who were very sick for years within those period he was alive and he himself often frequently sneak out to Turkey a moslem country for medical treatment...!!
The guy and all the rest are just show men and nothing more...!!
SmartPolician: These British people must think of themselves as God. Everything about the video is how TB Joshua wanted white people to serve him. I ask, "And so fvcking what?" Don't the Blacks serve the white everywhere in the world? What's the big deal if the reverse was the case? By the way, why didn't they release the documentary when the man was alive?
Throughout the interview, the BBC brought two Nigerians and asked them questions about the the prophet. TB Joshua had tens of thousands of workers. Go and ask them about TB Joshua; they will tell you a different story. Dude was the most generous preacher I have ever seen. He even took his charitable works to Asia and performed miracles around the world.
From Mexico to South Korea, Israel to the UK, hundreds of thousands filled stadia to their capacity to watch Prophet Joshua pray for the sick and they receive their healings - they received healings for medical cases doctors gave up on while others were exorcised. At least I watched those myself on Emmanuel TV. No Nigerian preacher had ever achieved that. This yeye documentary didn't tell us this part.
I will only be worried sick if those TB Joshua prayed for and they received their healing come in their large numbers to say that their healings were reversed after he died. That was the case of Eddy Nawgu, the infamous Anambra ritualist that Bakassi Boys beheaded and necklaced. Until then, this is just one documentary by a pompous, egoistic and narcissistic people who think they are too important to work for Black people but don't mind enslaving the Blacks.
These are disgruntled elements Mrs Joshua eased out after they started looting the church's treasury immediately after the prophet died. I truth Scoan to respond at appropriate time. This demonic BBc that had failed to reveal the sponsors of Boko Haram and Bandits, its a man that died almost 2years ago you are investigating.
Blackmailing Tb Joshua after death is foolishness....you can't drag the church down. Even if he did those, his good works supercedes any negative publication you idiots are pushing out...even some elements are accusing Jesus Christ of bedding Mary Magdalene come be Tb Joshua who is nothing but a man.
, the report is either fake, or there is something we are not being told 
