The Nigeria Police Force has arrested Justin Iwerebor and his wife, Anthonia, over investigations into the death of Germany-based Nigerian businessman, Solomon Iwerebor.
The couple, who are the parents of Pearl Okafor, wife of Grace Nation International Church founder, Pastor Chris Okafor, were reportedly taken into custody by police operatives on Monday, November 2, 2026.
Justin is the elder brother of the deceased, whose death has raised questions among relatives over the circumstances surrounding his final days and the whereabouts of his remains.
The investigation followed a petition submitted to the Lagos State Police Command by Solomon’s family through their lawyer, Dr Charles Mekwunye, SAN.
Solomon, who lived in Germany with his wife and children, had returned to Nigeria and was reportedly residing with Justin and Anthonia before communication with other members of his family ceased for more than two years.
His daughter, Jade, who lives in Germany, became concerned about his prolonged absence and reportedly contacted Pearl to find out what had happened to her father.
According to the account provided by the family, Pearl told Jade that Solomon had fallen ill, could no longer speak and had been moved to Benin City for medical attention.
The relatives, however, said they were not notified of his alleged illness and only learnt of his death through a third party on September 6, 2026, days after he had reportedly passed away.
The family has since raised concerns over the lack of information about the medical facility where Solomon was allegedly treated, the nature of his illness and the circumstances leading to his death.
More significantly, relatives say they have been unable to locate his remains or establish where his body was taken after his death.
Two of his sisters, Stella Iwerebor and Udo Hamis, have called for a comprehensive police investigation, insisting that the family deserves clarity about what happened to their brother.
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 also voiced concern that Solomon was dead while his brother and sister-in-law had become subjects of police investigation. The family wants investigators to determine what happened before and after his death and why relatives were allegedly not informed in good time.
The case has drawn public attention partly because of the suspects’ connection to Pastor Chris Okafor. In its petition, the family reportedly stated that Solomon was an active member of Grace Nation International Church and had spent substantial amounts of money seeking spiritual intervention.
The relatives believe the cleric and his wife, Pearl, could have information that may help establish Solomon’s health condition and movements before his death.
The pastor was also reportedly seen at a police formation on Thursday, November 5. However, it remains unclear whether he was invited by investigators or visited in support of his in-laws. A representative of the cleric reportedly said he would speak on the matter at the appropriate time.
There is, however, no established evidence that Pastor Chris Okafor or his wife committed any offence relating to Solomon’s death.
The family’s legal efforts to secure an investigation began with a petition to the Lagos State Commissioner of Police on September 15, 2026. The matter was subsequently transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department at Panti.
The family later alleged that the Zone 2 Police Command attempted to assume control of the case, prompting it to petition the Inspector-General of Police on October 23. In the petition, it requested that the investigation remain with the officers handling the matter at Panti.
The relatives have also raised concerns over alleged attempts to influence the process and secure the release of the detained couple. These allegations have not been independently verified.
Among the steps being demanded by the family are the identification of the hospital in Benin City where Solomon was reportedly treated, the retrieval of his medical records, the location of his remains and an autopsy to establish the cause of death.
They have further urged the police to ensure that the body is not disposed of in a manner that could prevent forensic examinations.
As of the latest available reports, the police had yet to announce the findings of their investigation or disclose whether criminal charges had been filed against Justin and Anthonia.
