₦airaland Forum

Christians in South Sudan, were caught unaware on Sunday, and could only watch as government authorities tore down their church with a bulldozer just hours after service.

Leaders of the small Evangelical Church in Al Haj Yousif said police officers arrived in three trucks, along with a bulldozer, without any warning. The police took chairs, tables, and Bibles from the church.

“They took everything from the church,” one church leader told news reporter.

Officials told church leaders they were tearing the building down because the worship caused a disturbance. Yet, church leaders said the government wants to give the property to a local Muslim business.
Read more: http://naijachurchnews.com/authorities-tear-christian-church/

A 46-Year-Old pastor of First Southern Baptist Church in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, Shane Hall, on Friday, died following a three-year battle with stomach cancer, just days after baptizing his young daughter Mallory.
“Dear First Southern Church Family …Our dearly loved Pastor Shane passed this afternoon peacefully at home. God has chosen to heal him in an eternal way. Certainly, our prayers, support, and sympathy are extended to Misty, the girls, and the extended family. For us, as a church family, we grieve and seek to understand while we lean on a loving, faithful God,” Joe Sherrer, associate pastor for discipleship at First Southern Baptist, announced in a statement on Facebook Friday night.

Hall’s wife, Misty, who had been sharing updates on her husband’s health, declared in a hope-filled post on Facebook Friday night that “Tonight he is worshipping with Jesus.”
Read more: http://naijachurchnews.com/baptist-pastor-dies-cancer-days-baptizing-daughter/

The youths of Agba in Ekwulobia, Anambra State, have burnt down a church where a 25-year-old man, Mr. Chiadi Ezeibekwe wedded his 17-year-old younger sister after getting her pregnant.
According to news report, Agba youths, who saw the marriage as “an abomination,” burnt down the church where the wedding was consummated.
It was learnt that the wedding was conducted by Chiadi elder brother of, Mr. Chijioke Ezeibekwe, a Shepherd of Dwelling Fullness of God Church, Agba. Chiadi quoted Deuteronomy 36: 6, which, according to him, permits marriage between brothers and ssters of the same parents.
Read more: http://naijachurchnews.com/man-impregnates-marries-17-year-old-sister/

Two men, Greg Okojie and Monday Ahunwa, on Monday, were arraigned before a Benin magistrate’s court, Edo State, for allegedly defrauding 11 Catholic priests of N42 million through their ‘wonder bank’ scheme.

The reverend fathers were said to have been attracted to the scheme because of the high interest rate that was payable on deposits.

They were said to have been introduced to the wonder bank by a branch manager of a new generation bank, Mr. Okojie.
It was gathered that Father Fidelis Arhedo was first introduced to the wonder bank supposedly owned by Monday Ahunwan and he deposited N13 million.
Read more: http://naijachurchnews.com/2-men-allegedly-defraud-11-catholic-priests-n42m/

A Nigerian bishop whom Pope Francis fiercely defended has resigned after a five-year, sometimes violent, standoff with rebel priests and faithful who rejected him as an ethnic outsider, the Vatican said on Monday.

The case of the Vatican versus the people of the diocese of Ahiara in southwestern Nigeria had become a rare battle of wills that tested the power of papal authority and could set a precedent for future appointments.

A Vatican statement said the pope had accepted the resignation of Peter Ebere Okpaleke as bishop of the diocese of Ahiara.
Read more: http://naijachurchnews.com/ahiala-catholic-crisis-rejected-bishop-okpaleke-resigns/

Pope Francis, on Thursday, assured his spiritual closeness to all those affected by the deadly shooting at a Florida high school that left 17 dead, offering prayers for the victims and voicing hope that such acts of violence would end.

In a Feb. 15 letter addressed to Archbishop Thomas Wenski of Miami, the Pope said he was “deeply saddened to learn of the tragic shooting” that took place yesterday at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida.

Signed by Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the letter assured all those affected by the “devastating attack” of the Pope’s spiritual closeness, saying he prays “that Almighty God may grant eternal rest to the dead and healing and consolation to the wounded and those who grieve.”
Read more: http://naijachurchnews.com/pope-voices-sorrow-devastating-school-attack/

Advocates of the Judaism religion in Aba, Abia State, have cried out over alleged assault of their worship centers and illegal detention of the faithful by the Abia State Police Command.

Abia State police Commissioner Mr. Anthony Ogbizi, had last week, paraded some advocates of the religion in Umuahia, alleging that they were arrested with Biafran symbols, during a meeting at a Jewish Synagogue in Aba.

A Jewish cleric, Yahudah Ben Yaacob told Vanguard that the Police in Abia State had labelled Jewish faithful as members of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, and mapped them out for annihilation.
Read more: http://naijachurchnews.com/jewish-clerics-cry-invasion-arrest-worshippers/

The General Overseer of Freedom for all Nations Outreach (FANO), Prophet Samuel Akinbodunse, has actualized one of the prophecies he shared for 2018.

The cleric, who accurately predicted Mugabe’s fall in November, 2017, also predicted in his 2018 prophecies that there would be a shift in South Africa’s presidency.

The prophet was quoted saying “First Quarter of 2018 in South African Politics. There will be a shaking. Some people will be removed for God to carry out his agenda.
“There will be a shift in the presidency. A well known will fall in order to make way for someone else to take over.
Read more: http://naijachurchnews.com/prophet-akinbodunses-2018-prophecy-jacob-zuma-comes-pass/

The Former Minister of Aviation, Femi Fani-Kayode, on Tuesday, has reacted to the statement credited to Prof. Wole Soyinka on Tuesday that President Muhammadu Buhari was under many unknown forces.

Fani-Kayode told President Buhari to heed advice from both spiritual and political leaders in the country and resign.

According to the former Minister, notable spiritual leaders such as Apostle Suleman Johnson of the Omega Fire Ministry; Bishop David Oyedepo of the Living Faith Church had told the President to go home and rest.
In a series of tweets, Fani-Kayode also alleged that President Buhari’s evil powers had failed him and that there was no hiding place for him any more.
Read more: http://naijachurchnews.com/listen-oyedepo-suleman-obasanjo-babangida-soyinka-fani-kayode-tells-buhari/

The Pastor of Praise Assembly, Tanke, Ilorin, Pastor Ezekiel Aremu, has impelled Nigerians to engage in serious prayers rather than unrestrained celebration of Valentine’s Day on Wednesday.

Aremu gave the advice in an interview with newsmen in Ilorin on Tuesday.

He described Valentine’s Day as an annual festival set aside to celebrate love, friendship and admiration of special people.

According to Aremu, Nigerians must not be carried away by the celebration.
“Instead, Nigerians should seek for God’s intervention on the state of the nation.
Read more: http://naijachurchnews.com/nigeria-needs-prayers-not-celebration-valentines-day-cleric/

Felix Moses, a pastor, has been dragged before an Igbosere Magistrates’ Court for allegedly building a church on someone’s land on Tuesday.
He was arraigned by the Federal Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department (FCIID), Alagbon, Ikoyi, Lagos.
According to The Nation, Moses, pastor of Capernaum Christian Ministry located at 34/36, Tijani Ashogbon Street, Bariga, was docked on a one-count charge of unlawful encroachment on a property.
According to the police, Moses built the church in 2016 on land owned by the complainant, Mr. Toyin Omonijo
Read more: http://naijachurchnews.com/god-told-build-church-someone-elses-land-says-cleric/

A Nigeria-born Catholic priest has been ex-communicated for allegedly breaching rules of confession secrecy.

Pope Francis ordered that Father Ezinwanne Igbo of Stella Maris parish in Maroochydore, Queensland,Australia ,be axed after a two-year investigation.

The investigation followed a complaint that he breached rules of confession secrecy from 2016.
Read more: http://naijachurchnews.com/pope-excommunicates-nigeria-born-priest/

The General Overseer of The Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Pastor Enoch Adejare Adeboye, General Overseer of Living Faith Ministries (a.k.a Winners Chapel), Bishop David Oyedepo, and other christian leaders, will meet over the current state of Nigeria on Tuesday, February 13th at the Redemption Camp.

The meeting, to include a special intercession, will have over 30 Christian denominations in attendance.
Read more: http://naijachurchnews.com/adeboye-oyedepo-others-meet-state-nigeria/

The controversial South African pastor, Lethebo Rabalao, who claimed he could heal sick members of his congregation by spraying them with insecticide brand Doom was on Friday, found guilty of assault.

Lethebo Rabalao, referred to by local media as “the prophet of doom,” was found guilty of four count charges of assault as well as “contravening the Agricultural Act” by a court in Limpopo province.
Read more: http://naijachurchnews.com/pastor-found-guilty-spraying-followers-insecticide/

The former General Superintendent of the Assemblies of God Church, Nigeria, Rev. Prof. Paul Emeka, has dragged a legal practitioner, Eleazar C.N Igbokwe, (Esq.) of “Mastersons Solicitors”, Port-Harcourt, to the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA).

The Pastor has also taken his grievances against the lawyer to the Attorney General of the Federation over alleged professional misconduct and felony.

Rev. Emeka accused Igbokwe of deliberately misquoting the content of a court ruling, thereby misinforming the public against him in a publication he carried out in a national newspaper.
The embattled General Superintendent has been in a protracted legal battle since 2014 to upturn his suspension by some leaders of the
church.
Read more: http://naijachurchnews.com/assemblies-god-paul-emeka-drags-lawyer-nba-agf/

A former Seventh Day Adventist priest in Rwanda, has called out women as the source of all evil during a radio interview. The Rwandan Media Commission (RMC) is set to deliberate on anti-women comments made by a preacher on a local radio station.

RMC said it will sit early next week following a complaint filed by a women’s civil society Pro – Femmes Twese Hamwe.
“Women are out of God’s favour, there is nothing good you can find in women. If you have read the Bible, who brought sin into the world, it was not a man, Nicolas Niyibikora tld listeners on Amazing Grace radio.

“Apart from being contradictory to the laws of our country starting with the Constitution, the sermon is also at odds with international principles against discrimination and undermining human beings.
Read more: http://naijachurchnews.com/pastor-tags-women-source-evil-radio/

President Muhammadu Buhari, on Wednesday, altered the mode of prayers at his weekly Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting held at the Council Chamber, Presidential Villa Abuja.

Usually, Buhari would ask one Muslim and one Christian Minister to say the opening prayers.

But today, the president allowed two Christian Ministers do so.
They were the Ministers of Agriculture and Labour, Audu Ogbeh and Chris Ngige respectively.

Read more: http://naijachurchnews.com/buhari-alters-mode-prayers-fec-meeting/

Pope Francis, on Wednesday, sent a telegram to Taiwan, expressing condolence after a massive earthquake and a string of aftershocks in Taiwan killed at least seven and injured hundreds more, assuring of his prayer for the victims and those engaged in rescue efforts.

Signed by Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin and addressed to Bishop Philip Huang Chao-ming of Hwalien, the Feb. 7 telegram expressed the Pope’s solidarity “with all those affected by the earthquakes in Taiwan these past days.”

Francis, the telegram said, “offers the assurance of his prayers for those who have lost their lives and for those who have been injured.”
Read more: http://naijachurchnews.com/pope-francis-voices-condolences-deadly-taiwan-quake/

A man was on Wednesday, brought before an Igbosere Magistrate Court in lagos for allegedly burgling a Mountain of Fire and Miracle Ministries Church (MFM), and carting away appliances worth N440,000.

Thompson Otobo, 25, is arraigned before Mr. L.A. Layeni on three –count charge of conspiracy, burglary and stealing.

Police counsel, Reuben Solomon, said Otobo, who resides near General Paints, Ajah, Lagos, committed the alleged offences at 2:30 a.m. on January 31 at MFM Ministries parish, Abraham Adesanya Estate, Ajah.
Read more: http://naijachurchnews.com/man-burglarize-church-steals-tv-others/

The Archdiocese of Acapulco, Mexico, has reported the murder of two priests, Fr. Iván Añorve Jaimes, pastor of Holy Family Parish in the town of Las Vigas, and Fr. Germain Muñiz Garcia, the pastor of Mezcala, Monday morning, Feb 5.

The priests were killed in an attack by unidentified individuals in Taxco township.

According to a press release from the Guerrero State Attorney General’s Office, the victims were traveling on the Iguala-Taxco highway when they were suddenly cut off by another vehicle, from which shots were fired. The assailants fled the scene.
Read more: http://naijachurchnews.com/unidentified-men-murder-two-priests/

Pope Francis, has denied receiving a victim’s letter in 2015 that detailed sexual abuse by a priest and a cover-up by Chilean church authorities.

The author of the eight-page letter and members of Pope Francis’ own sex abuse commission told the AP about the letter, which the news agency said challenges the pope’s self-described policy of ‘zero tolerance’ for sex abuse and cover ups and calls into question his stated empathy with victims, representing the biggest crisis of his five year papacy.

Francis’s trip to South America was overshadowed by protests over his vigorous defence of Bishop Juan Barros, who is accused by victims of covering up the abuse by Fr Fernando Karadima.

Read more: http://naijachurchnews.com/vatican-hit-scandal-emerges-pope-francis-receive-letter-outlining-abuse-chile/