The Nigerian Police have arrested of Mr Justin Iwerebor and his wife, Anthonia, parents of Pearl Okafor, wife of the founder of Grace Nation International Church, Pastor Chris Okafor.
The couple were arrested by police operatives on Monday, November 2, 2026, in connection with investigations into the suspicious death of Mr Solomon Iwerebor, a Germany-based Nigerian businessman.
Justin is the elder brother of the deceased.
The arrests followed a petition submitted to the Lagos State Police Command by the family through their lawyer, Dr Charles Mekwunye, SAN.
Solomon Iwerebor, who lived in Germany with his wife and children, had travelled to Nigeria and was reportedly staying at the residence of his brother Justin and his wife, Anthonia.
According to the family, Solomon subsequently lost contact with other relatives for more than two years.
Concerned about his whereabouts, his daughter, Jade, who lives in Germany, reportedly contacted Pearl Okafor to inquire about her father.
Pearl allegedly informed her that Solomon had become ill, was unable to speak and had been taken to Benin City for medical treatment.
However, the family said it later received news of Solomon’s death from a third party on September 6, 2026, several days after he had reportedly died.
The family alleged that it had not been informed about any illness before his death.
One of the most troubling aspects of the case is the family’s claim that it has been unable to establish the whereabouts of Solomon’s remains.
The family also says it has not received satisfactory information about the hospital where he was allegedly treated, the illness he suffered or the circumstances surrounding his final days.
Two sisters of the deceased, Stella Iwerebor and Udo Hamis, publicly demanded a thorough investigation.
Speaking alongside their lawyer, they said: “All we want is proper investigation. Our brother has died under very disturbing circumstances and we want to know how he died.”
They expressed concern that one brother had died while another brother and his wife were now suspects in the investigation.
The family demanded that police establish what happened before and after Solomon’s death and why relatives were allegedly not informed promptly.
The controversy has attracted additional attention because of the suspects’ relationship with Pastor Chris Okafor.
According to the family’s petition, Solomon was an active member of Grace Nation International Church and allegedly spent substantial sums seeking spiritual intervention.
The family believes Pastor Chris Okafor and his wife, Pearl, may possess information relevant to Solomon’s health and movements before his death.
Reports also indicate that the pastor visited the police formation on Thursday, November 5.
However, it has not been established whether he visited at the invitation of investigators or to support his in-laws.
A representative of the cleric reportedly said he would address the matter at the appropriate time.
There is no established evidence that Pastor Chris Okafor or his wife committed any offence in connection with Solomon’s death.
The family’s lawyer initially submitted a petition to the Lagos State Commissioner of Police on September 15, 2026.
The matter was subsequently referred to the State Criminal Investigation Department at Panti, Lagos.
However, the family alleged that the Zone 2 Police Command attempted to take over the investigation.
This prompted another petition to the Inspector-General of Police on October 23, requesting that the matter remain with investigators at Panti.
The family also expressed concern about alleged pressure to secure the suspects’ release.
These claims of interference have not been independently established.
The family is asking the police to identify the hospital in Benin City where Solomon was allegedly treated, obtain his medical records, locate his remains and conduct an autopsy.
It also wants investigators to prevent any disposal of the body that could frustrate forensic examinations.
As of the latest published reports, police had not announced the outcome of the investigation or filed criminal charges against the couple.
