Security and Task Force team at the Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries,
MFM, harassed, molested and detained illegally a renowned citizen journalist
who attempted to report a New Year’s Eve crossover night service at the
church headquarters along the popular Lagos-Ibadan express road.
Omoyele Mr. Sowore, publisher of Saharareporters, accompanied by Lagos-
based citizen journalist, Segun O’Law another journalist, who report for the site
from Lagos, stopped over at the Mountain of Fire and Miracles Church to cover
the said crossover night service, but a joint task force of the church made up of
personal church security, armed police and the State Security Service turned
the church into a rights violation ground.
The journalists did a stopover at MFM, as they were hinted that the church has
one of the largest gatherings within the city that night.
The crossover night event is one of numerous church services in which every
church establishment gets its largest congregations in the night preceding the
New Year, seeing the congregants waiting ecstatically with prayers for a new
year of blessing and miracles.
But authorities of the church declined to respond to the allegations. A man who
answered our reporter’s call declined comments, saying we should come
physically to the church’s headquarters in Lagos for any enquiries. He insisted
that the telephone number listed on the church’s website was meant for those
interested in prayer consultation. He also declined to give his name.
“I can’t make any comment,” the official said. “Just come to our office and that
is the only way we can respond to your enquiries.”
Mr. Sowore arrived the church bearing a 5D Canon Camera, with a frame holder
on his shoulder. The accompanying citizen journalist, Mr. O’Law, held a dual
purpose shots and video-taping mini Panasonic Camera.
Upon entering the church’s main gate, which outlooks the busy Lagos end of
the Lagos-Ibadan expressway, the crew moved into the auditorium and
identified themselves to the security officers and ushers they encountered every
inch of their way, and telling their mission.
The crew’s mission was to take photos and cover the crossover night service.
Ushers and protocol officers allowed them in and motioned them towards the
altar after scrutinizing their identity cards. But as Mr. Sowore reached the front
of the General Overseer, Pastor D.K. Olukoya, who at that moment was giving
his sermon, he was mobbed by several church Task Force officers guarding the
altar, some of them wearing aprons with inscription ‘Prayer City Army’.
Mr. Sowore was then dragged to the back of the altar by a mob that threatened
at first to smash his camera. The mob later handed him over to the police and
the SSS operatives attached to the church.
Accompanying citizen journalist, Segun O’Law, rushed to the scene to identify
Mr. Mr. Sowore as a journalist and explain the team’s mission to the church.
By this time, a larger crowd had gathered behind the altar minutes as Mr.
Sowore argued that he was only doing his job. The mob was unimpressed.
The argument attracted more church members, one of who ranted that he
would wear down the Jesus in him and transform into Satan to kill Mr. Sowore.
For wearing neck beads designed of cowry shells (which he wears to
showcase his ‘Africanness’), some of the church security operatives described
Mr. Sowore as a ‘sinner’, ‘satan incarnate’, among other vilifying christening.
Moments later, the crew were pushed into a security van and whisked to a
detention post within the church’s expansive premises. The Task Force, who
had demanded Mr. Sowore’s identity card had also seized it, forcefully detained
the crew and invited the Division Police Officer of Ibafo Police station, which
oversees security in the area.
The D.P.O., upon arrival, inspected Mr. Sowore’s local identity card, which he
uses as a special correspondent for one of the numerous Nigerian media he
collaborates with. The D.P.O. confirmed it was genuine after making some calls
through to the media office. The D.P.O. however disappeared after confirming
who Mr. Sowore was, declared he would rather not get involved and advised the
church to allow for amicable settlement to avoid possibly blowing the issue
beyond reasonable proportion.
The church task force however adamantly refused. Instead, they repeatedly
requested to delete the photos and video recordings in the cameras before
releasing the devices and the journalists. The crew remained in the church
detention for four hours.
Within the period of the journalists’ illegal detention, one of the MFM pastors in
the task force emerged with a cane and attempted to flog Mr. Sowore, but he
was cautioned. The pastor and his task force team members had to the sight of
the two journalists, flogged, slapped and humiliated some teenage boys and
girls who were arrested within the church premises for selling bible literatures,
prayer books, printed praises and worship songs and sachet water.
The online advocacy and anti-corruption whistle-blowing website publisher
was shocked when he realized that MFM maintains an illegal detention security
post.
Mr. Sowore said his intention was to maintain a low profile all through, so as to
experience what an ordinary journalist would go through, while fighting against
authoritarian attitude of established local African institutions towards
journalists.
The low profile style of Mr. Mr. Sowore however ended when one of the senior
ministers in the church, who had spotted Mr. Sowore among the crowd behind
the altar before they were whisked away to the detention post, waded in and
enlightened the task force that Mr. Sowore was the publisher of the
international advocacy site, Saharareporters.com.
The mobs, security and task force men quickly opened the website and
googled Mr. Sowore’s name. They were weakened and pleaded that all
footages taken in the church be deleted, but Mr. Sowore turned down their
request.
The church had a crowd of about one million people at the service and series
offerings, including ‘last offering for the year 2012’ and ‘first offering for the year
2013’ among others were obtained from the over one million crowd praying
away their emotions in the night heralding the New Year.
On January 2nd, the crew also stopped by a festival of Masquerades while
travelling through Ondo State to cover a traditional African masquerade dance
in Erekiti. This time also,Mr. Mr. Sowore and his crew introduced themselves
and presented same identity cards they showed the church security. The
masquerades welcomed and warmed up to them. After their coverage, the crew
contrasted between the attitudes of the MFM church and the masquerade
practitioners in the same circumstances of filming an event of public interest.
The MFM church sits on massive hectares of land along the popular Lagos-
Ibadan expressway. It also runs an expensive private university attached to it.
The church’s university, Mountain Top, is unaffordable to most of the offering-
paying members of the MFM church, members say.
Some members of the Redeemed Christian Church of God and the Living Faith
Church, otherwise known as Winners’ Chapel, also complained they cannot
afford tuitions in the Redeemers’ University for Nations [RUN] and Covenant
University [CU] respectively.
Universities founded by Islamic organisations are also believed to be too
expensive than members can afford.
Before the emergence of the prosperity pentecostal churches, schools created
by early churches were more affordable than most of the public schools, those
who attended those schools said.
But there is now a reverse in the trend with schools owned by religious
organisations now imposing overwhelming tuitions on students, encouraging
state-owned institutions to increase their tuition by up to 200 percent to
compete with expensive faith-based schools.


premiumtimesng.com/news/113950-church-arrest-detain-saharareporters-publisher-sowore-crew-in-nigeria.html

Our religious institutions are no longer helping us. D sooner d govt moves in to regulate their activities d better for us all.
Ds ppl are on d verge of setting up a parallel govt or something worse than d dreaded boko haram.

inteli:
The argument attracted more church members, one of who ranted that he would wear down the Jesus in him and transform into Satan to kill Mr. Sowore.
premiumtimesng.com/news/113950-church-arrest-detain-saharareporters-publisher-sowore-crew-in-nigeria.html

Ignore the so-called 'Jesus in him' rant. He was only speaking in parables. He actually meant to show Mr. Sowore & onlookers that he is 'satan' himself! Pure & simple. God bless Nigeria.

What can I say when the church image has been tarnished due to its intrusion into politics.why on earth will a house of God be used to oppress journalist and suppress the freedom of speech and expression ? Its a shame that this is happening in Nigeria in collaboration with the police and sss who ought to provide security for NIGERIANS.Godiswatching#

Nigerian Christians, biggest hypocrites walking the face of planet earth today. Evil in thoughts, evil in action. Pretense all the way. Brainwashed minions.

@@@@

just wondering the reason they never predicted this one

_{hmm ikey becareful oo na man of of god u dealing with}

kingoflag: Nigerian Christians, biggest hypocrites walking the face of planet earth today. Evil in thoughts, evil in action. Pretense all the way. Brainwashed minions.

Totally correct.

kingoflag: Nigerian Christians, biggest hypocrites walking the face of planet earth today. Evil in thoughts, evil in action. Pretense all the way. Brainwashed minions.

I wonder how the congregation would have praised God if the journalist were to be a politician especially the type that knows how to foolishly kneel before the pastor ?

kingoflag: Nigerian Christians, biggest hypocrites walking the face of planet earth today. Evil in thoughts, evil in action. Pretense all the way. Brainwashed minions.

Seconded.......

What is wrong with people in this country? If the church is ashamed for slapping illegal traders selling the bible why then slap them in the first place?

@@@@

and on the side this will always be a reason for those that never invest in their people to buying private jet will always be a case of hell fire

they never worry about the noise level and the unnecessary traffic jam they created; no

that will be always unacceptable till next world

let them carry on

fools

one of the MFM pastors in the task force emerged with a cane and attempted to flog Mr. Sowore, but he was cautioned. The pastor and his task force team members had to the sight of the two journalists, flogged, slapped and humiliated some teenage boys and girls who were arrested within the church premises for selling bible literatures, prayer books, printed praises and worship songs and sachet water.

This So-called Christians are SAVAGES!!!

Smh!

This So-called Christians are SAVAGES!!!

^^^^ yes oo this is the beauty of practising a religion where a human begin get to see the next human unlike places where a human get to see some animals


let the moslem folks educate me on this one

The questions are:
Was Sowore the only journalist that covered the church programme?
Second, what is the basis of correlating his "warm reception with masquerade worshipper" and the MFM?
At what point did the pastor that intervened because he knew Sowore intervened? Was it after they call the DPO or before?
What was special in the footage of his camera that the security men would have insisted that he delete, knowing fully well that the service was
transmitted live and the video of the service is available for everybody to see?
Does Sowore constitute himself to a nuisance that warrant suspicion?
Why was his friend not stopped with him initially?

I am sure we are yet to hear the real Sahara Reporter version of this story.
Monthly later, their version will go out, and we will read....
JONATHAN SEND SECURITY MEN TO DETAIN SAHARA REPORTER PUBLISHER AT A CHURCH SERVICE IN NIGERIA.....

Why them no allow that Pastor whip the hell outta Sowore . . . .

These are not religious bodies; they're nothing but CULTS. I pity their sheepish followers.

Alxmyr: The questions are:
Was Sowore the only journalist that covered the church programme?
Second, what is the basis of correlating his "warm reception with masquerade worshipper" and the MFM?
At what point did the pastor that intervened because he knew Sowore intervened? Was it after they call the DPO or before?
What was special in the footage of his camera that the security men would have insisted that he delete, knowing fully well that the service was
transmitted live and the video of the service is available for everybody to see?
Does Sowore constitute himself to a nuisance that warrant suspicion?
Why was his friend not stopped with him initially?

I am sure we are yet to hear the real Sahara Reporter version of this story.
Monthly later, their version will go out, and we will read....
JONATHAN SEND SECURITY MEN TO DETAIL SAHARA REPORTER PUBLISHER AT A CHURCH SERVICE IN NIGERIA.....

exactly! and to think some people swallowed this report hook, line and sinker shows the level of their reasoning capacity. im not a member but i think sowore has an axe to grind with mfm

kingoflag: Nigerian Christians, biggest hypocrites walking the face of planet earth today. Evil in thoughts, evil in action. Pretense all the way. Brainwashed minions.

Hehehe! Christian terrorists!

Enters thread, reads post and comments and of the impression that it serves him right(mind you, this is sowore's version of what happened).
Hmmm! Ungodly goons using this fallacy to berate and mock the anointed.
Smh. May God have mercy.

Alxmyr: The questions are:
Was Sowore the only journalist that covered the church programme?
Second, what is the basis of correlating his "warm reception with masquerade worshipper" and the MFM?
At what point did the pastor that intervened because he knew Sowore intervened? Was it after they call the DPO or before?
What was special in the footage of his camera that the security men would have insisted that he delete, knowing fully well that the service was
transmitted live and the video of the service is available for everybody to see?
Does Sowore constitute himself to a nuisance that warrant suspicion?
Why was his friend not stopped with him initially?

I am sure we are yet to hear the real Sahara Reporter version of this story.
Monthly later, their version will go out, and we will read....
JONATHAN SEND SECURITY MEN TO DETAIN SAHARA REPORTER PUBLISHER AT A CHURCH SERVICE IN NIGERIA.....

You have said it all. Those making mindless comments are as well on their way to the slaughter like Sowore. You can make mockery of jonathan, PDP or the nigeerian government but not with God and his church. Sowore should be careful. He who the god wants to destroy, he first makes mad.

Sowore is intelligent and articulate, but he is a thug nonetheless. The least he should have done is to send an advance notice of his intention to the church authority especially in view of security situation of the country. Why jump on them? Does he think everyone know about his sh1tty lying website, let alone who he is? For all we know Boko Haram can also pull such stunt as he did.

Serves him right!

[size=13pt]And if you find out now, you would discover that the G.O knows nothing about this..
The reasons why we have all this nonsense happening in Church is because there are
over-zealous/wicked people surrounding the so Called Men of GOD.. and thus, they
portray the Man Of God the other way round.. Have you seen the way ordinary ushers
shield their Pastors? if you trying to step into the house of God and one of their
pastors is coming, they will practically want everybody to clear away from the path
of the Pastor.. really it's bad these days cause the Politics in churches these dayz is
so curazy especially when the Church is a big one.. That's why it is just good to go to church,
know the God you're serving, Pray and Go back to your Houses cuz attimes the more you involve
yourself in so much church groups e.t.c you just find out that there are so many bad belles, Gossips, e.t.c and you begin to wonder "EVEN in the HOUSE OF GOD" so my Point is there are
alot of things going on in the church which the Head or G.O's might not be aware of....[/size]

PointB: Sowore is intelligent and articulate, but he is a thug nonetheless. The least he should have done is to send an advance notice of his intention to the church authority especially in view of security situation of the country. Why jump on them? Does he think everyone know about his sh1tty lying website, let alone who he is? For all we know Boko Haram can also pull such stunt as he did.

Serves him right!

The church is a house of God not a political gathering where you need to seek permission before attending.All protocols should be religion-based not personality-based !

~Bluetooth:


The church is a house of God not a political gathering where you need to seek permission before attending.All protocols should be religion-based not personality-based !

I wonder o. If the church has nothing to hide, why should a journalist give an advance notice, as long as he's ready to subject himself to security scan? This is not PDP convention o. Na wa for we Nigerians. Our mumu don do for dis "men of God."

inteli: .
Upon entering the church’s main gate, which outlooks the busy Lagos end of
the Lagos-Ibadan expressway, the crew moved into the auditorium and
identified themselves to the security officers and ushers they encountered every
inch of their way, and telling their mission.
The crew’s mission was to take photos and cover the crossover night service.
Ushers and protocol officers allowed them in and motioned them towards the
altar after scrutinizing their identity cards. But as Mr. Sowore reached the front
of the General Overseer, Pastor D.K. Olukoya, who at that moment was giving
his sermon, he was mobbed by several church Task Force officers guarding the
altar, some of them wearing aprons with inscription ‘Prayer City Army’.

bennyraz did u read the full article at all

Bloody cults.. flogging people selling literature

See all these muslim terrorist and boko haram on NL.
Devils in body and soul.

skyfall:

I wonder o. If the church has nothing to hide, why should a journalist give an advance notice, as long as he's ready to subject himself to security scan? This is not PDP convention o. Na wa for we Nigerians. Our mumu don do for dis "men of God."

How can you proof first-hand that the band of camera-totting group meandering their way to the front row are actually who they claim they are? Whether the church has something to hide or not is not the issue here. The point is that such large gathering of people demands adequate security, fore notice is certainly part of security.

Sowore is simply a thug. Any sane journalist will understand the importance of protocol or respect of sanctity of place of worship. Would Sowore pull such stunt in a popular mosque in the North having their jumat or whatever popular service they have?

PointB:

How can you proof first-hand that the band of camera-totting group meandering their way to the front row are actually who they claim they are? Whether the church has something to hide or not is not the issue here. The point is that such large gathering of people demands adequate security, fore notice is certainly part of security.

Sowore is simply a thug. Any same journalist will understand the importance of protocol or respect of sanctity of place of worship. Would Sowore pull such stunt in a popular mosque in the North having their jumat or whatever popular service they have?

security ? Was he holding a gun or any other weapon ?

How is Sowore a thug ? He is doing his job as an investigative journalist. Moreover he is considered a hero for some of us so what are you driving at ?

Yes he can do it in Mosque before or after the prayers so as not to distract people.

Alxmyr: The questions are:
Was Sowore the only journalist that covered the church programme?
Second, what is the basis of correlating his "warm reception with masquerade worshipper" and the MFM?
At what point did the pastor that intervened because he knew Sowore intervened? Was it after they call the DPO or before?
What was special in the footage of his camera that the security men would have insisted that he delete, knowing fully well that the service was
transmitted live and the video of the service is available for everybody to see?
Does Sowore constitute himself to a nuisance that warrant suspicion?
Why was his friend not stopped with him initially?

I am sure we are yet to hear the real Sahara Reporter version of this story.
Monthly later, their version will go out, and we will read....

JONATHAN SEND SECURITY MEN TO DETAIN SAHARA REPORTER PUBLISHER AT A CHURCH SERVICE IN NIGERIA.....

U have to re-read the passage again for u to comprehend the message because from your responds, it obvious u don't have an understanding of what this passage is talking about.