Hugely Popular Megachurch Founder Accused of Raping Followers for Years, Forcing Abortions

New allegations of rape and physical coercion are being levied against the late leader of a secretive African megachurch in a brand new documentary series about the alleged cult.

Called Disciples: The Cult of TB Joshua, the BBC documentary series is the result of a two-year investigation, focused on Joshua, a charismatic Christian preacher who has been accused by dozens of apostates of sexually assaulting his followers, and forcing those he impregnated to get abortions.

The self-proclaimed prophet, the leader and founder of Synagogue Church of all Nations in Nigeria, died in 2021 at the age of 57.

The documentary further alleges the late televangelist physically assaulted members of his congregation, including little children who were sometimes shackled in chains and whipped.

Joshua's church operates Emmanuel TV, a Christian television station which broadcasts to millions throughout the globe. During his broadcasts, Joshua performed various "healing miracles" members told the BBC were elaborately faked.

Dozens of ex-Synagogue Church of all Nations members — including five individuals from the U.K. — opened up about life on Joshua's compound in Lagos for the program.

A woman identified only as Rae said she left college at the age of 21 to join the church, which she eventually left after 12 years.

"We all thought we were in heaven, but we were in hell," Rae told the BBC, "and in hell, terrible things happen."

Rae, who accused Joshua of sexually assaulting her for years, also contends she was forced to live in solitary confinement for two years.

She, like other members, was expected to recruit women into the group for Joshua to assault. She was also deprived sleep, she said, and eventually attempted suicide to get away from the abuse.

The Synagogue Church of All Nations heavily recruited Europeans throughout the 1990s and early 2000s, according to the BBC.

One woman interviewed in the documentary contends she was raped numerous times by the church leader, and was forced to have abortions five times.

"These were backdoor type … medical treatments that we were going through … it could have killed us," she told the BBC.

Joshua rose from poverty to become one of Africa's most influential religious leaders. The Emmanuel TV YouTube channel grew to a reported 600 million views and 1.8 million subscribers before it was shut down by the platform in April, 2021, after it posted videos showing a preacher attempting to "cure" gay people through prayer.

The three-part documentary is available for streaming now.