The Nation Newspaper

Tag: church

  • Church leaders refresh for greater impact

    Hundreds of ministers drawn from converged on the Fountain of Life Church, Ilupeju Lagos penultimate weekend to refresh and brainstorm on how to achieve greater productivity in the vineyard.

    This was at a leadership retreat organised by senior pastor of the church, Taiwo Odukoya.

    Odukoya said the retreat, in its 15th year, was convened for the mutual edification of leaders in an atmosphere of accountability. Speaking on “ethics in ministry”, Pastor Clem Esemowei of Triumphant Church International, London urged the church leaders to maintain their integrity when facing temptation.

    He said they cannot afford to lose their standing before God and the people who they serve.

    Pastor Godman Akinlabi of The Elevation Church facilitated the session on “the virtual church”.

    He taught on practical guides to leveraging on the platform of social media for greater efficiency in ministry.

    According to Akinlabi, the content is king in the virtual space and the church is a repository of relevant content.

    “Our voice should be the loudest,” he said.

    Speaking at an all-night that rounded off the conference, Odukoya said: “God will always give you more capacity for your assignment. We often use less.”

    He also answered myriad of questions on issues in the church in a no-holds barred way.

  • ‘The church must support Buhari for change’

    ‘The church must support Buhari for change’

    Rev. Gideon Para-Mallam is the regional secretary of International Federation of Evangelical Students in English and Portuguese-speaking Africa (IFES-ESPA). He spoke with Sunday Oguntola on the ongoing electoral process and how the church can help effect change

    What is your general impression of the just-concluded presidential elections?

    I am very impressed by how Nigerians conducted themselves during the elections. They were calm, determined, sacrificial and committed to exercising their democratic right to vote and this they did peacefully. Initially, I could tell that Nigerians went to the poll more with apprehension than with excitement. The waiting period for counting, collation and announcing the final results were tense to say the least.

    The claims in terms of who got what number of votes, the accusations and the counter-claims by the politicians was beginning to create its own tension but Nigerians were determined to keep the peace and not resort to violence and vandalism as some politicians would have wished.

     This display of political maturity by the Nigerian electorate was unprecedented and worthy of commendation. The International Community took note. The presence of foreign observers helped immensely and it was they who told our story to the world.

    The just-concluded election also shows that the citizens have reclaimed their rights to determine who their leaders should be through the ballot box. They have also demonstrated that if elected officials fail to deliver the dividends of democracy and choose instead to loot the resources of the nation through their official positions of trust, they will be sent packing from henceforth.

    We had gotten to the point when elected officials were becoming tin-gods and their word is law and final. In democracy, the voter is the king. In any true democracy, the voice the people is supreme and their verdict final. From now on, the voice and vote of Nigerians will count!

    With a new government about to be formed, do you foresee changes in the nation?

    Nigerians voted for change and they will expect nothing short of real change from where we are today as a nation, moving forward. Fortunately, we have elected someone who is committed to bringing change and said as much in his first major speech after he took delivery of his return certificate from INEC.

    I hope with the outcome of this election and the yearning for change by Nigerians a changing narrative will emerge. This is the task before the in-coming administration of our president- elect. The Church in Nigeria has a prophetic responsibility to help the new president work to change the narrative of the Nigerian story.

    What does this imminent change mean to you? 

    Some of the changes I hope to see are in fixing corruption, unemployment, especially youth unemployment. The World Bank put the general figures at 22% with youth unemployment at about 38%. Poverty, insecurity and insurgency, the need for good governance that is accountable to the people, an educational sector presently at its lowest downward slide, sustaining the current economic growth rate of 7% which is now being threatened by falling oil prices, power outages, the role of moneybags in our democracy, stealing from the public purse reigns with impunity and many more.

    What would you consider the high and low moments of the poll?

    The highest point for me was when Nigerians trooped out en-mass in an orderly manner to vote. They wanted to be counted in defining the way forward for Nigeria through the ballot box. The citizens conducted themselves with such admirable civility to the relief of the nation and a waiting world. Please permit me to add this, the expectations of the people is very high and may God help Buhari and his team to deliver.

    The second high point was when President Goodluck Jonathan conceded defeat and called General Muhammadu Buhari. That was the topping of the icing of the cake, moving forward with the Nigeria of our future dreams.

    By this singular act and later Buhari extending his hand of fellowship and reconciliation to Jonathan, in one of his first public speeches, shows that both men from now on represent the future Nigeria many of us have prayed and yearned for. This is a great moment to savour and we pray it will last.

    There were a couple of low moments. During the waiting period as claims and accusations of who won or did not win raged while the counting was still on-going. The challenge some voters experienced with the card readers and how this could affect the outcome.

    Some voices beginning to sound as though the whole election exercise was rubbish – the usual road to nowhere, often associated with Nigeria. But I must confess deep down in my heart, that I had prayed much before, during and after the election and asked God that this election should not result in another June 12.

    Then the momentary attempt to disrupt the collation exercise appeared comical, laughable and a chilling reminder of the undesirable in our Nigerianess. Thankfully, it was nipped in the bud.

    Are you impressed by the gales of endorsement in the Christian community? 

    Personally, I am not impressed by the gales of endorsement in the Christian community. But please do not get me wrong, it is not harmful for the Church to have ideological political preferences. The Church is free to have a mind of her own when it comes to political leanings.

    However, the church isn’t the architectural structure, which is visible for all to see. They consist of individual members and most times, these members vote based on their political persuasion. To use the pulpit to converse for votes for a particular politician or a political party is wrong. Just as it is wrong for the Christian community to do this, so also it is wrong for the Muslim community to do same.

    How much roles should religion play in Nigerians choosing who govern them? 

    If I am to be truthfully honest, it should play no role at all.  May be this is an overreaction. And if this is the case, I am sorry but I am simply sick and tired of the negative influence of religion in our politics. Please let me make clear again, this is just not a matter of concern for the church; the Muslim community is doing exactly the same.

    The first point of liberation for any person is coming to terms with one self, the same principle applies to nations. We must come to terms with ourselves and collectively say no to the role of religion in our politics whether as Christians or Muslims.

    Governorship polls are just days away. Do you think Nigeria can conclude the process of smooth transition to another Republic?

    This indeed is our prayer. The stakes have been raised very high now and no politician should do any less or remind us of the past we so eagerly want to move away from. The highest office in Nigeria is the presidency and both leading contestants have showed a good example of the spirit of sportsmanship in politics.

    My appeal and advice is that governorship aspirants should show maturity and not make their contest a do- or- die affair. But without doubt, I believe that we will conclude this election on a victorious note. God has smiled on and will continue to smile on Nigeria. The people are wiser and are no push-over. So, the politicians should wise-up. I will say to them very clearly not to mess up with voters who are now a sophisticated lot.

    The renewed confidence of the can-do-spirit of the Nigerian is commendable. In the spirit of Easter, I wish to urge all Nigerians to remain vigilant and collectively see this electoral process through to appositive conclusive end.

  • Church leaders refresh for greater impact

    Hundreds of ministers drawn from converged on the Fountain of Life Church, Ilupeju Lagos penultimate weekend to refresh and brainstorm on how to achieve greater productivity in the vineyard.

    This was at a leadership retreat organised by senior pastor of the church, Taiwo Odukoya.

    Odukoya said the retreat, in its 15th year, was convened for the mutual edification of leaders in an atmosphere of accountability. Speaking on “ethics in ministry”, Pastor Clem Esemowei of Triumphant Church International, London urged the church leaders to maintain their integrity when facing temptation.

    He said they cannot afford to lose their standing before God and the people who they serve.

    Pastor Godman Akinlabi of The Elevation Church facilitated the session on “the virtual church”.

    He taught on practical guides to leveraging on the platform of social media for greater efficiency in ministry.

    According to Akinlabi, the content is king in the virtual space and the church is a repository of relevant content.

    “Our voice should be the loudest,” he said.

    Speaking at an all-night that rounded off the conference, Odukoya said: “God will always give you more capacity for your assignment. We often use less.”

    He also answered myriad of questions on issues in the church in a no-holds barred way.

  • Deeper Life Church sued

    The Incorporated Trustees of Deeper Christian Life Ministry (also known as Deeper Life Bible Church), has been sued at the Ogun State High Court, Abeokuta, over a landed property measuring 41.44 hectares.

    The Baale and Village Head of Agbodi Village in Obafemi Owode Local Government Area of Ogun State, Chief Taiwo Ogunkayode and his chiefs are claiming N1 million damages against the church for alleged trespass.

    The claimants are Oluhunmi Esuruoso, Ezekiel Afolabi Sobowale, Olanrewaju Okanmolu, Chief Taiwo Ogunkayode, Alani Idowu and Prince Muraina Olatunji Bamjoko.

    They are also praying the court to restrain the Deeper Life Bible Church, her agents, servants or privies from further trespassing or dealing with the said parcel of land.

    According to them, the land in dispute, situated at Agbodi Village in Obafemi Owode Local Government, Ogun State form part of the village land which is possession of different families in the village.

    The claimants stated that sometime around 2008 they noticed that the defendant (church) entered the disputed land, attempted to fence it and erected signboards with inscription that the land is the site for her proposed university.

    They claimed to have immediately challenged the church and vehemently opposed the defendant adding that this eventually led to series of meetings convened by the church in which the church gave various contradicted, uncoordinated and unsubstantiated story of how she acquired the land.

    “That further to the above the claimants aver that they simply demanded that the defendant should produce her document of title in respect of the land in dispute or any part thereof or that the defendant produce the person(s) that alienated the land to her or bestowed title on her in any manner which demand the defendant refuses, neglect or fails to satisfy up till date”, they stated.

    The claimants, however, prayed the court to declare that they are the persons entitle to the Right of Occupancy in respect of all the parcel of land being at Agbodi Village, along Lagos Expressway, Obafemi/Owode Local Government, Ogun Sate measuring approximately 41.444 Hectares and bounded in the front by Eruku village, back by Greenland Estate; Right by Akinde Family Land/Maaba village and left by Olowotedo Village.

     

     

  • Orji’s wife donates to church

    Orji’s wife donates to church

    The Deeper Life Bible Church Camp ground in Umuugo, Aba, Abia State, was the beneficiary of philanthropy from high quarters.

    Wife of the state governor, Mrs. Odochi Orji who worshipped at the church, made a donation of N2m for the fuelling of its electricity generators.

    Mrs. Orji also inaugurated two 230-KVA transformers which the state government donated and installed at the church’s Camp ground.

    Speaking after the service, she said that the presentation of the transformers were in fulfillment of an earlier promise in last August when women held a prayer programme there.

    Orji, who described her husband as a man with a listening ear and God-fearing leader, assisted in the provision of the transformers to help the church in its evangelistic works.

    She used the opportunity to call on members of the church to vote for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidates jostling for various positions at state and federal levels in the coming elections, warning them against voting “mushroom parties that will not fulfill their promises”.

    “Politics is not for fighting. It is like a game; if you win, you go but if you fail you go and sit down, not fighting people and planning evil against other contestants. God will not forgive you,” she said.

    The state overseer of the church, Pastor Chukwuneye Umeh on behalf of the church thanked the state government for the donation, adding that the transformers would go a long way in assisting them to advance the message of salvation and repentance which they propagate.

    He also used the opportunity to remind the state governor that the church was still expecting his administration to fulfill promise of constructing and making motor-able the road leading to the Camp from the Aba-Port Harcourt Expressway.

    The clergy further reinstated that the church was committed to helping to prepare men for heaven and to transform the lives for a better society through building their faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.

  • ‘The church lacks electoral value’

    ‘The church lacks electoral value’

    As a one-time deputy speaker of Oyo State, Pastor Femi Emmanuel, the senior pastor of Living Spring Chapel International Lagos, has seen both worlds.  He spoke with Sunday Oguntola on how the church can influence good governance and political emancipation. Excerpts:  

    Are you bothered by the tension in the run-off to the general elections?

    It is normal in the Nigerian setting. But this year’s elections are particularly interesting. Never have I seen Nigerians as enthusiastic and concerned as now. Everyone wants to vote now. In the other years, we always complained about Nigerians being apathetic but this year people are interested in who governs them.

    There are apprehensions to the extent that SMSs are flying around telling Nigerians to stock-pile food. Is that necessary?

    No, that is not necessary. Yes, there would be challenges here and there but not to the extent that Nigeria will go to war. Definitely, there would be skirmishes and crises in some hot points but from what I can see and sense, life in Nigeria will continue after the elections.

    What is the basis of your optimism?

    We have prayed and I am sure God has answered us. Two, there is a peace pact signed by the parties…

    …The one that did not last more than 24 hours?

    Well, it hasn’t completely broken down and we believe it won’t. An average Nigeria doesn’t want trouble, except for one or two miscreants. But I am optimistic that our lives will continue after the polls.

    How can we reduce the tension and violence to the barest minimum?

    The greatest factor is for political actors to caution their supporters and followers. The political godfathers also have a part to play. There is a combination of illiteracy and poverty that make people do things they should do.

    Those who want to cause trouble want to do it for some people. If you want to fight on my behalf and I say no, will you still go ahead? Some of these political thugs fight because they know there are people to defend them. If they have nobody, they will keep away.

    Once the political gladiators are not ready to fight and instruct their followers not to fight, there won’t be violence.

    Should religion play a part in who will elect to govern us?

    In Nigeria, religion and traditions are part of our political culture here. You can’t play politics here without considering those factors. We are Nigerians, not Americans and you can’t take away that from us.

    However, I believe the church is a sleeping giant. I believe the solutions to our national problems can emanate from the church if our leaders understand the dynamics of politics. I believe religious leaders have minimal roles to play but nothing more than that though.

    Should they endorse candidates?

    In my understanding, they shouldn’t be partisan but they shouldn’t be apolitical. It is wrong for the church to say it is apolitical. If there is any interest I have, it is to correct that mistake. He who pays the piper dictates the tune. If you say you are apolitical, it means you are not involved. If you are not involved, where is your place then?

    I believe that if church leaders produce good people for the industries and marriage as well as other sectors of life, we should produce good people for politics. So, we shouldn’t be apolitical and partisan.

    I don’t subscribe to open endorsement of any candidate. As a pastor, you should be a father to all. Endorsement should not arise at all.

    Should the polls be postponed as advocated in some quarters?

    The February 14 and 18 dates for me are sacrosanct. They should not be postponed. Rather, we should advise INEC to do everything possible to make the PVCs available. To shift the dates at this time will create more problems and suspicion. To shift the polls might be the beginning of the crisis we want to avoid. I think we have gone too far in the day to shift the polls.

    INEC, unfortunately, has not done enough in the distribution of PVCs. I, for example, don’t have one yet.

    Maybe that is because you have not made enough efforts

    I have the TVCs. I was there this Monday but told it hasn’t come. INEC hasn’t done well in that aspect as far as I am concerned. There are still many Nigerians that have been disenfranchised. But be that as it may, it is too late in the day to call for postponement.

    Shouldn’t INEC allow for use of TVCs?

    I believe that too except that they said their card readers can only work with PVCs. If you knew that from the beginning, you should have factored that in. It is amazing that we do things haphazardly here. INEC gave us just three days to pick up PVCs. That is never enough in Nigeria. You know we are late starters.

    You will only get them to act when the ultimatum is close. I know there are considering financial factors but that is the price to pay for credible elections. The number of people that you will disenfranchise might just make a shame of the whole process.

    Are you bothered by the sharp division in the church on the forthcoming polls?

    I am not bothered because like I told you, the church is a sleeping giant. I believe nothing any church leader says will affect the elections significantly.

    So, their endorsements do not count?

    It doesn’t matter because they are not there. The church does not produce who you vote for. If you don’t do that, you are not there. When I won my election, I knew the platform that took me there. My respect and loyalty were to the platform. As long as the church does not have a platform that produces candidates, it remains a toothless bulldog.

    Their opinions, endorsements and supports do not matter at all.

    So, the candidates running after them for endorsements are wasting their time?

    Yes, they are making mistakes because they don’t have electoral value. The church in its current state doesn’t have electoral value. There is no single pastor that sent anyone there. Until the church has political structure and infrastructure, it won’t make much impact politically. Those who come to churches looking for endorsement are just like ‘for whatever it is worth, let me just go there’.

    When you are seeking elections, you look for a little here and there. They will leave the church, move to the mosque and end up in the shrines. Whatever could bring one vote here and there, they will do.

    You mentioned the issue of ghost voters. What does that mean?

    I will tell you we have millions of abandoned, uncollected PVCs. Have you found out why that is so? You know in politics, it is parties and kingmakers that mobilise people to register. Most Nigerians are induced to register. Where I registered, in a GRA setting, we saw miscreants and everyone coming around. They never live among us but they were induced to register.

    In the previous political settings, those cards are collected by those who register them. They will hand them over to another set of induced people to vote. That was always the beginning of rigging; elections are rigged from the point of registration. Now that biometrics are involved, those cards are useless. No one else can use them.

    Those cards are what politicians invest heavily on. Once they cannot hijack boxes or announce results, they rely on the cards to rig. But INEC has taken care of that now. That is why the cards are abandoned. We have too many ghost voters. That is the intrigues of politicians and INEC has perked that. There is no way INEC can find out the perpetrators. The names and addresses they used are fictitious so INEC has wasted billions on those voters.

    In your first electoral outing, you relied on your church connection. How did it go?

    I failed woefully my brother. That is why I tell you the church does not influence anything. We have no structure to produce anything or influence anybody.

    Do you subscribe to soldiers manning the streets during election days?

    It should be strange to democracy but it is needful in our peculiar situation. The Nigerian factor is a real factor that we must pray to overcome with time, prosperity and education. There are those paid to foment troubles.

    The soldiers and security agents involved should be well informed and trained to take care of things. Not to have them there now will be detrimental to our interest.

    Are you impressed by the quality of campaigns these times around?

    I am not at all. We have a lot of character assassination, name-calling and issues not be addressed. It is unfortunate that we have not seen issue-based campaigns. If you ask me, I will say that Gen. Buhari is not a Boko Haram sponsor. If he were, they wouldn’t want to kill him. Shekau has even said that Buhari is an infidel.

    I pity Buhari because he has been successfully campaigned. That you are supporting Sharia does not make you a Boko Haram. Boko Haram does not believe that Islam as practised in Saudi Arabia is the original.

    Buhari is a Sharia zealot just as an average Muslim. Sharia is a way of life for them. He did that with all his zeal while in power. But that is different from being a Boko Haram. You can’t be one and have a running mate that is a Christian.

    Boko Haram does not accommodate any other different faith or belief. So, when they say he is a Boko Haram sponsor, confusing that with Sharia advocacy, it is unfortunate for him. So, I haven’t even see campaign of issues. Someone said he cannot remember his phone number. But is that what you need to govern well?

    The corruption, economic downturn and insecurity problems facing us, no one is addressing them. There is too much triviality involved.

  • Church prays for Nigeria

    The yearly fasting and prayer programme of Imole Oluwa Baptist Church (IOBC), Ejigbo Lagos began last Sunday. It will end on February 28. This year’s theme: “Under His Grace”, is to let Nigerians knows that ‘we can’t achieve anything on earth expect through the grace of God.

    The Reverend in charge of the church,  Moses Oke said the programme is an opportunity for the church to intercede for Nigeria and her political leaders.

    “This yearly fasting and prayer came at the right time, at a period where by our country is having change in leadership,” he said.

    He urged political leaders to desist from every unpatriotic attitude and plot that may lead to war.

    “In order for us to have a peaceful election, the fear of God should be their first priority,” Oke added, noting that during the fasting and prayer, participants should confess their sins to God and ask for forgiveness of sins, particularly shedding of innocent blood, idolatry, bribery and corruption, so that God would have mercy on the nation and remove the wrath already pronounced on the country.

    He also urged Nigerians to pray against the shedding of blood during the general elections.

     

  • Church renovates school clinic

    Church renovates school clinic

    The Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Israel Assembly Area, has renovated a clinic at the Agidingbi Senior Secondary School in Ikeja, Lagos. The Pastor-in-charge of RCCG Israel Assembly Zone, Pastor Dapo Awosika, inaugurated the upgraded clinic in the school last week.

    He said the project was a result of the church’s policy to focus on Corporate Social Responsibility programmes in order to be more relevant to its host communities.

    “One of the cardinal visions of the church is not to only minister to the spiritual needs of members, but minister to their welfare and social needs,” he said.

    Working with this mandate from the RCCG Headquarters, Awosika said the Israel Assembly Area decided to refurbish the sick bays of the schools in its immediate environment.

    He said though Agidingbi Grammar School had a dedicated room for the sick bay, it was not in use.  To transform it, he said, the church refurbished the room taking care of electrical and plumbing works after which it was furnished with clinical equipment and medical consumables.

    Awosika hoped that the clinic would help to meet the medical needs of students and members of staff during school hours.

    Reacting to the gesture, the school principal, Bakare Olufemi thanked the church for upgrading the clinic from it deserted condition.

    He assured the church that it had fulfilled its CSR in the right place, and promised that the school would maintain the equipment and make use of the clinic.

    The Tutor General/Permanent Secretary, Mrs Iyabo Osifeso, however, urged the church not to relent in giving back to the society.

    She said the government has really tried in putting things in place, but cannot do all alone since there are over 600 public schools in Lagos being offered free education.

    “If you have 10 loaves of bread you would actually cut it into bits and pieces for all your children to be able to get,” she said.

    Addressing the pupils, she advised them to improve on their learning outcomes because success is achieved through hardwork.

    The Senior Prefect of the school, Chidiebere Wisdom, promised that the pupils would make good use of the sick bay.

     

  • Thugs chase pastors, members from Edo church

    Suspected thugs at the weekend barred pastors and some church elders of the Assemblies of God Church from holding a district meeting at the Edo State branch headquarters, at Upper Lawani, Benin City.

    The entrance to the church headquarters was locked while hired thugs stopped the church leaders, led by District Superintendent, Joel Okoegbele, from entering the church.

    The church has been torn between Rev. Paul Emeka and Dr. Chidi Okoroafor.

    It was learnt that the Edo headquarters was locked by the District Treasurer, Rev. ThankGod Ekias who supports the leadership of Okoroafor.

    Sources at the church said the meeting was to discuss the visit of Rev. Okoroafor to Edo State. According to a source, Okoroafor’s mission was to remove district leaders opposing his leadership.

    The factional church leaders later met at another branch of the church and they adopted resolutions barring Okoroafor from visiting the district.

    Okoegbele, who addressed reporters after the meeting, said four pastors in Edo District were suspended for promoting factions in the church and hiring thugs.

    Those suspended include Rev. Albert Okaka, Rev Chijena I.O, Rev. Godwin Chime and Rev ThankGod Ekias.

    Okoegbele said the leaders at the meeting recognised the leadership of Rev. Emeka, adding that they left the church headquarters on the advice of police.

    According to him, “having known the plans of Rev. Chidi Okoroafor to come to this district, we have agreed that Prof. Paul Emeka is the legal General Superintendent of the Assemblies of God Church Nigeria. We in this state are in alliance with the court ruling granted on December 11, confirming Prof. Emeka as the authentic head of the church.”

    Rev. Ekias could not be reached for comments.

  • Policemen invade church over ‘debt’

    A pentecostal church, People of Peculiar Ministry International, Araromi in Igando, a Lagos suburb, was thrown into disarray on January 15 following invasion by 10 armed policemen.

    They dispersed the worshippers, assaulted and whisked away the pastor and some members over an alleged N300,000 debt.

    The policemen who came in mufti, were said to have been sent by the Divisional Police Officer, Amukoko Division, Mr. Abayomi Agbana, a Chief Superintendent  (CSP), although they initially claimed to have come from the General Investigations Division (GID), Ikeja, to execute a court order.

    When the church’s protocol officer, Mr. Samuel Ajakaiye, demanded to see the court order, the officers were said to have descended on him, before, forcing their way into the church to ransack offices, the kitchen and the pastor’s rest room.

    Ajakaiye, with a swollen eye-ball, told reporters: “We had a morning prayer session on Thursday, January 15, 2015 and the pastor, James Kunle Hephzibah, had two radio programmes at Bond Fm and Radio Lagos. At about 6.30am, an old danfo commercial bus stopped in front of the church. In fact, the way its occupants jumped out, I thought they were armed robbers. They said they were from GID, Ikeja with a court order.

    “When I demanded to see the court order, immediately they descended on me, tore my clothes and hit me with their handcuffs and gun butts. Just look at my swollen eyes. In fact, they scattered the office, kitchen, rest rooms, broke the door and the worst part, they humiliated the pastor. They dragged and forced him into the bus. They also arrested four members that questioned their conduct. But instead of the GID, Ikeja, they took us to Amukoko police division, where they subjected us to more ridicule and trauma until 7pm when people intervened from higher police formations.”

    The popular televangelist, Pastor Hephzibah, also known as ‘Baba Peculiar’ queried the legality of the action.

    “How can they invade a church without a legal authority? They came all the way from Apapa and did not register their presence at the nearest police station. When has the police turned to a debt collector? These men invaded our church, brutalised members and made away with three of my handsets and over half a million naira,” he said.

    The pastor added: “I have never seen or received this kind of embarrassment in my life. It was too much in our church yesterday. I am not a robber or fraudster and these people came all the way from Apapa to humiliate me and my members. They wounded our Protocol Officer Samuel. I lost three of my handsets – Samsung X2, X3, X4 – and we cannot find N560,000 meant for the radio programmes after their invasion. I just don’t know what to say but those policemen who came and disgraced me on the street and in the neighbourhood for a mere false allegation must receive their due punishment from the law and God. I had to calm down when their DPO apologised because I am a servant of God.”

    It was gathered that the policemen did not “book” their arrival at the Area ‘M’ until a crowd compelled them to take the pastor and his people to Igando Police Division to prove that they were from Area ‘B’ Command.

    When contacted, Agbana said he was not in his office, promising to be there before 2pm. But, he could not be reached later on his phone.

    Police spokesman Deputy Superintendent (DSP) Kenneth Nwosu said he was not aware of the incident.

    It was gathered that the church bought a Nissan bus from one Mr. Alabi Haruna for N1.2 million for which itpaid N900,000. The c hurch promised to pay the N300,000 balance after the bus was test-run.

    In a petition to the Commissioner of Police, the church said: “When we test-ran the bus, it was in bad condition, hence we asked Haruna to either effect the repairs as we agreed or balance us our money and take his bus away. For one year and two months, he disappeared and never showed up. We did everything to contact him but he ran away. The case was initially at Igando Police Station, where he was asked him to comply, but after one year and two months, he connived with those policemen that his bus was missing.”