“My Church Is Not A Protest Ground”, Pastor Enenche Speaks On Arrest Of Activists By Dss Operatives.
The Senior Pastor of Dunamis Church International Gospel Centre, Dr Paul Enenche has faulted the move by some protesters who visited the church’s 100, 000 capacity headquarters popularly known as Glory Dome, along Airport Road, Abuja.
Recall that some activists were said to be wearing #Buhari- Must- Go T-shirts while attending the church on Sunday.
They were eventually arrested and detained by operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS).
Reacting to the incident, Pastor Enenche said the church was not a political ground where such activities should take place.
In a statement issued through his spokesman, Dr Adah Ochowechi, Enenche equally debunked reports that the activists were arrested by the church’s security personnel, insisting they were nabbed by DSS operatives outside the church premises.
The statement described the reports that the activists were arrested and handed over to the DSS after walking up to the alter as first-timers, as ‘ misleading’.
According to the church, there are three services every Sunday, and the Senior Pastor, Paul Enenche preaches in all the services.
An altar call was made to which many people came out, including the activists, and nothing happened to them. No one questioned the legality or otherwise of the inscription on the T-shirts.
The statement claimed that soon after the departure of the youths from the alter, they swung into a protest with blaring trumpet and saxophone right from the exit door of the church. The event is live-streamed with the background shot of the building and the crowd of church-goers exiting and entering the sanctuary for the next service.
Enenche said the live-streaming had the caption, Buhari Must Go protest hits Dunamis Church in Abuja.
The Pastor insisted that the church is not an activism ground but a centre for the projection of truth against all forms of evil, adding that the church is non-political and non-partisan and therefore not an appropriate ground for political protests.
He, however, stated categorically that Dunamis Internation Gospel Centre had no hand in the arrest, torture, and detention of the activists as they were arrested outside the premises of the church.
Enenche said the church has no right to arrest and detain people.
Recall that after reports of the arrests filtered into the media space on Sunday, July 4, Enenche was visited by Omoyele Sowore and Deji Adeyanju on Monday, July 5.
Both activists, who have also had several encounters with the Buhari- led Federal Government, visited the pastor for clarifications on the arrest of the protesters.
During the meeting, the pastor was said to have confirmed that the arrest was made by DSS operatives and not church officials.
After the meeting, Adeyanju told journalists that the pastor informed them that he had taken steps to ensure the release of the protesters.
He however noted that the whereabouts of the five activists are still unknown and they have not been released.
However, a mild drama ensued at the gate of the church when the activists (Adeyanju and Sowore) were granting press interviews.
Some overzealous policemen challenged them, pointing guns at the journalists who were conducting the interview.
The situation escalated into a heated argument as the gun-wielding operatives insisted on knowing their mission for granting interviews at the gate.
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