THE general overseer (GO) of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Enoch Adeboye, has made a U-turn on his earlier stance about the arrest and investigation of a Tiktoker Olumide Ogunsanwo, also known as Seaking.
The church, in a statement by the public relations unit, office of the principal executive assistant to the general overseer, on Monday, February 10, said after taking a closer look at the videos in which Seaking allegedly slandered the cleric, it resolved that the accused face the full wrath of the law.
The background
Seaking had allegedly lambasted Adeboye for asking his church members to fast for 100 days.
A group identified as the Concerned Christian Youth Forum petitioned the Lagos State Police Command over the Tiktoker’s action, which led to his arrest.
Lawyers and activists, including Inibehe Effiong and Omoyele Sowore swiftly demanded for the release of the accused. The calls were not immediately heeded by the police.
Speaking during a church programme on Friday, February 7, Adeboye distanced himself from Seaking arrest, stating that some people angered by the accused’s remarks took it upon themselves to file a petition that landed him in police net. He urged the police to release him.
“I heard that someone lambasted me thoroughly. What is my offence? Because I asked my people to fast for 100 days?
“I was told that some people got angry and went to arrest the fellow. Release him. He is fulfilling prophecy,” the GO told his congregation.
Adeboye, RCCG backtrack
However, in a sudden turn of event, the church, in a statement on Monday, said given the existence of an official complaint filed against Ogunsanwo by the Concerned Christian Youth Forum “on behalf of several prominent faith leaders”, including Adeboye, Seaking’s investigation must continue.
The RCCG stressed that it did not intend to interfere with the police investigation by asking the Tiktoker to be freed.
“We trust that the relevant authorities will carry out their investigations professionally and reach a just conclusion based on the law. While Pastor Enoch Adejare Adeboye maintains a heart of love and reconciliation, due process must be followed,” the church stated.
The RCCG cautioned against cyberbullying and inappropriate commentary targeting Adeboye, the church, and the broader Christian community.
The church said it was promoting a culture of respect and honour while discouraging defamatory and disrespectful comments.
It argued that respect for spiritual leaders was paramount, adding that it was committed to upholding the principles of justice, respect, and reconciliation.
Inibehe Effiong vows to drag Adeboye to court
Meanwhile, a lawyer in the case, Inibehe Effiong, gave the church and Adeboye 24 hours to retract the statement or be sued.
He revealed that the police had released the accused on administrative bail.
He said hours before the church released the statement, Adeboye and the RCCG were not the intended targets of a planned legal action against Seaking’s arrest.
He said the church had made itself part of the case following its latest stance.
In his statement titled, “Ilegal arrest and detention of Tiktoker Seaking: We will sue Pastor Adeboye and RCCG if they fail to retract their press statement within 24 hours,” Effiong said Seaking was re-arrested after his appearance at the Magistrate Court, Ogba, Lagos on Thursday, February 6, and flown to Abuja at the instance of the Cybercrimes Unit of the Force Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department (FCIID).
“In the meantime, our attention has been drawn to a provocative public statement issued by the public relations unit of the The Redeemed Christian Church of God on this case. The church in the statement conceded that Pastor Adeboye is not behind the petition that led to the arrest of Seaking, but it nonetheless suggested that the law should take its course based on a petition written by a certain busybody named James Paul Adama masquerading under the name of ‘Concerned Christian Youth Forum’…
To be clear, purported injuries suffered as a result of any act of alleged cyberstalking or alleged defamation are personal in law and not transferable. Pastor Adeboye cannot be the victim of alleged cyberstalking or defamation, while another person pretends to act as the complainant. It should also be stated that mere vulgar abuse or ‘insults’ are not criminal offences in Nigeria. Mere vulgar abuse is neither defamatory nor cyberstalking.
“Cyberstalking and defamation cannot be pursued through proxies.Since Pastor E. A. Adeboye had initially distanced himself from the matter, we had decided not to join him and the church as respondents in any fundamental rights enforcement suit.”
Effiong said the Tiktoker’s fundamental rights had been breached, as he was detained beyond the permissible constitutional timeline, and without legally tenable grounds.
He argued that the church’s ‘capitulation’ might also require Adeboye to personally testify in court in any criminal charge brought by the police, and him being subjected to cross examination.
“Since the RCCG has decided to associate itself with the busybody petitioner and to drag Pastor Enoch Adeboye into the pit of illegality dug by the police and the busybody complainant, they must understand the legal implications,” he wrote.
He said Christian leaders must live by the true tenets of Christianity, stressing that pastors who resort to weaponising the police to witch-hunt those who speak against them stood the risk of having their calling questioned.
“Vengeance should be of the Lord as admonished in the Bible, not of the Police.
“However, where a pastor is determined to pursue an eye for an eye, he or she must be careful not to overreach his critic, abuser or adversary, and must be mindful not to violate the due process of law while seeking redress from earthly institutions.”
Sowore confirms Seaking’s release
Meanwhile, human rights activist Omoyele Sowore, in a post on his X handle Monday evening, confirmed that Seaking had been released by the police.
A reporter with the ICIR
A Journalist with a niche for quality and a promoter of good governance