Story:
Abuja-based pastor Festus Alilu was arrested by the Nigerian police following a Facebook video in which he criticized Pastor Korede Komaiya, a lead pastor of Master Place International in Delta State and a protégé of Bishop David Oyedepo. In the video, Alilu questioned Komaiya’s theological teachings and accused him of using prosperity gospel as a tool to deceive and exploit his congregation.
Alilu, who had expressed concerns over Komaiya’s practices, claimed that his video correction of Komaiya’s teachings had led to his arrest. Speaking in a video shared by Omoyele Sowore on X, Alilu said, “It is because of the Facebook video I made, correcting his theological teaching of Komaiya. It is Pastor Korede Komaiya who sent them to arrest me.” The video shows Alilu being detained by police officers.
Bright Edafe, a spokesperson for the Delta police, confirmed the arrest, stating that Alilu was in police custody and that the arrest was related to a cyberbullying petition filed by Pastor Komaiya. Edafe, however, did not provide further details on the petition or the specifics of the case. “He is in our custody. He is not missing,” Edafe told Peoples Gazette on Friday, confirming the arrest.
According to Mrs. Eleojo Festus Alilu, the wife of the arrested pastor, the police from Delta State arrived at their church in Jikoyi on Thursday night and took her husband to the Abbattoir, a former Special Anti-Robbery Squad office in Abuja. Mrs. Alilu confirmed that the arrest was linked to Komaiya’s petition, which accused her husband of cyberbullying. “Pastor Korede Komaiya sent them from Delta State. They said they have an arrest warrant for cyberbullying,” she said. Mrs. Alilu added that she had not been allowed to see her husband as of Friday morning and was uncertain of his whereabouts.
Alilu’s Facebook post, which sparked the controversy, criticized Komaiya for preaching a prosperity gospel aimed at defrauding an unwitting congregation. He accused Komaiya of misusing his influence as a preacher to manipulate people and gather funds under false pretenses. “Pastor Korede Komaiya is a big problem in the body of Christ. Bishop David Oyedepo that you claim is your father, is he preaching the kind of gospel you are preaching?” Alilu wrote, questioning Komaiya’s association with Oyedepo, one of Nigeria’s most influential preachers. Alilu further accused Komaiya of employing psychological manipulation to raise money for himself under the guise of religious teaching, saying, “He will say all those lies and use it [sic] to raise money and say God bless you. Which God bless you? Which God will use psychological ways to steal and defraud people?”
Komaiya, who previously served as a preacher at Bishop Oyedepo’s Winners Chapel, has often referred to Oyedepo as his spiritual father. He has recently made headlines for his extravagant gift to Oyedepo on his 70th birthday, where he contributed N250 million alongside three other spiritual sons of Oyedepo to purchase a Rolls Royce for the bishop.
The arrest of Pastor Alilu has stirred public debate over freedom of speech, the power dynamics within religious communities, and the relationship between the clergy and political authorities in Nigeria. As of now, Pastor Komaiya has not publicly responded to Alilu’s arrest or the allegations made against him.
Sub Zero ✔
Godwin Okafor is the Publisher & CEO of Naija247news Media Group LLC, an independent investigative news platform delivering accurate, data-driven reporting on Nigerian and global politics, economy, finance, and business. Founded in October 2010, Naija247news specializes in developmental journalism, providing timely insights and analysis to readers across Nigeria and the diaspora.
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