Religious
Covid-19 Restriction: Drama as Pastors deny ministry, members to evade arrest
There.was mild reaction as 3 pastors of some new generation churches on Sunday in Abuja denied their ministries and members after operatives of the Federal Capital Territory FCT Ministerial Enforcement Team moved in to arrest them for violating the ban on congregational worship in the territory. adsbygoogle || []).push({});
The Pastors who had partitioned a mountain at the Federal Housing area of Lugbe District traded words among themselves and even denied stewardship of the large crowd met worshipping at the hilltop.
The pastors were Ibitoye Kayode of the Liberty Faith Gospel Church, Joshua Olaniru of Liberty Gate Ministry and Vitalis Udeazi of Dominion Chapel.
Trouble started when the Enforcement team on COVID-19 Restrictions stormed the area following a tip off, but found it difficult to identify worshippers and their religious leaders.
After a brief interrogation, the three pastors were indentified from the crowd, even though one of them, Vitalis Udeazi of Dominion Chapel struggled to conceal his identity.
He said none of his members were present at the time the taskforce arrived the mountain top, but this did not go down well with other pastors who protested vehemently that he was one of them.
Luck however ran out on him when some members pointed at him as their pastor. He still insisted that they were his prayer members.
For Joshua Olaniru of Liberty Gate Ministry, who argued that he was not among those holding worship session, a resident of the community availed the taskforce of a video clip which showed the cleric holding a worship session, a development which had led to a fight about an hour before the taskforce personnel arrived.
Speaking to the pastors, Chairman of the taskforce, Ikharo Attah queried; “why are you all denying these large groups of worshippers? No one among you agreed that anyone came to worship with them even when they turned out in large numbers. One of you even went ahead to deny being a pastor”.
Also another cleric, Pastor Effiong Bassey of the Holiness Revival Ministry Church, Karamajiji was apprehended for holding a church service to mark the 60th birthday of a retired military colonel, P.E Ebong who left the military in 2015.
Addressing the pastor , Attah said, “you cannot hold a worship service in defiance of the directives of the Commander in Chief just to mark the 60th birthday of a retired colonel. Even for a serving colonel it is very wrong. You have to come with us and explain it to the magistrate at the mobile court”.
The Clerics were consequently arraigned before a Mobile Court presided over by Magistrate Akonni who found them guilty and fined them N5,000 each in addition to three hours of community service.
The team also shut down the informal sector at the Dutse Alhaji market which was fully in operation on Sunday in contravention of the Administration’s guidelines. Four traders were arrested and arraigned at the Mobile court.
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Religious
Faith and Freedom Africa Holds Town Hall Meeting in Makurdi, Calls for Deeper Understanding of Constitutional Rights to Freedom of Religion
By AbdulRahman Obaje
Makurdi, Benue State — Concerned about the religious undertones of Nigeria’s security challenges, Faith and Freedom Africa (FFA) has renewed calls for respect and protection of every citizen’s right to freedom of religion, as enshrined in Section 38 of the Nigerian Constitution.
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Speaking at a one-day colloquium held on Wednesday at Batoha Hotel, Makurdi, FFA Country Coordinator Felix Samari questioned the Nigerian government’s recognition of only Christianity and Islam, lamenting that adherents of African Traditional Religion (ATR) are often treated as “second-class citizens.”
“With Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB) advocacy, we are not only speaking for Christians and Muslims but also for practitioners of African traditional religions and even atheists,” Samari said. “Every citizen deserves equal respect and the freedom to worship — or not worship — without discrimination.”
Themed Freedom of Religious Beliefs (FoRB), the event brought together religious leaders, activists, and community members to discuss religious tolerance and inclusion.
A participant and atheist, Mr. Terna Sam-Kange, decried discrimination against non-adherents of Christianity and Islam, calling for “a more open-minded Nigeria where religious belief or lack of it does not determine one’s access to opportunities.”
Similarly, Ms. Doosuur Sue, a practitioner of African Traditional Religion, lamented the exclusion of ATR adherents from government recognition and benefits. “We are Nigerians too and should have equal opportunities and privileges like every other citizen,” she said.
FoRB trainer Dr. Longji Dambok criticized the government’s practice of funding only Christian and Muslim pilgrims’ boards, describing it as “discriminatory and unhealthy for national unity.” He called for reorientation and enlightenment campaigns to foster mutual respect and understanding in Nigeria’s culturally diverse society.
The FFA Town Hall Meeting is part of ongoing efforts to promote peace, religious tolerance, and the recognition of constitutional rights in communities across Nigeria.
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Eid-el-Maulud: Ododo Prays for Peace, Prosperity in Nigeria
From Joseph Amedu, Lokoja
Kogi State Governor, Alhaji Ahmed Usman Ododo, has prayed for actions that would promote peace, unity and prosperity in the country.
In his goodwill message, Governor Ododo noted that the birth of Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him) reminds humanity of timeless virtues, humility, patience, and compassion which remain the foundation of a just and peaceful society.
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“Eid-el-Maulud is not just a celebration of the birth of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (PBUH); it is a call to live by the values that bind us as one people. If we embrace the Prophet’s teachings of kindness, fairness, and justice, we can overcome divisions and build a society rooted in peace and progress,” he said.
Governor Ododo urged Muslims to extend acts of love, kindness and generosity to their neighbours, especially the less privileged, stressing that such small but deliberate efforts help to strengthen bond in communities and foster unity.
He reaffirmed the commitment of his administration to building a safer, more inclusive, and economically vibrant Kogi State through policies that place the welfare of the people at the centre of governance
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Crime
Kogi CP Begs For Intelligent Information, Prayers To tackle Insecurity
From Joseph Amedu, Lokoja
The Kogi State Commissioner of Police, CP Miller Dantawaye has appealed to the people of the state not to relent in the supply of intelligent information and consistent prayers to curb criminal activities in the state.
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He made the appeal at First Evangelical Church Winning All (ECWA) Lokoja during a Thanksgiving service of Mrs Salami Aderin Eunice, mother of Mr. Segun Salami of Channels TV correspondent in Kogi state who celebrated her 75th years birthday on Sunday June 29th, 2025.
He noted that Kogi state is a difficult state because it is surrounded by 9 states as some of the hoodlums will always like to enter the state and carry out their evil work, but thank God that they have been able to bring the situation under control.
He appeal to the congregation to always offer prayers for them and the state at large and also provide them useful information that can help them curb criminal activities in the state.
His words, “I beg for any kind of intelligence report from you, any information that you get. It could be in your school, your children’s school, it could be even in the church here. It can be in your place of work,’ he said.
Kogi is a very difficult terrain to oversee because of its border to about 10 States including the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Abuja
“So, we need your prayer as individual and as a church to us as the security agencies especially the police in policing the state. It is only by God’s divine backing and enablement.
“I want to beg you to always give us reliable information at your disposal that will enable us to expose the criminal among us
“We will continue to do the needful with the available resources and power to ensure that Kogi remained save and secure,”” Dantawaye said
He commended Kogi state government in its effort to fight crime in the state adding that government need the cooperation of the society and individual to fight crime in the state.
He congratulated Mrs. Salami who clocked 75th years.
In his sermon, titled: “Gratitude to God”, Rev Paul Frank, stressed the need for everyone to be grateful to God for his kindness and benevolent towards us as a people.
“For every benefit we received gratitude is demanded of us. An ingrates will never appreciate anything describing an ingrate as a murderer, selfish.
“Your miracle is attached to your worshipped and testimonies. We must deliberately thank God for His grace that has kept you safe in the midst of the rising insecurity in the country especially in Kogi,” Frank said.
Frank urged the people never to take the grace of God for granted.
Frank congratulated the Salami’s family for walking into the Sanctuary to give gratitude to God, describing the gesture as a necessity to honour Jesus in the life of the celebrant
In his remarks, Segun Salami, described his Mom as a wonderful mother and eulogised her kindness, support and for raising her children in the fear of God.
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