The Senior Pastor of Dunamis Church International Gospel Centre, Dr Paul Enenche insists that the church is not a protest ground.
He condemned the action of some youth activists who stormed the church headquarters along Airport Road on Sunday wearing #BuhariMustGoBranded t-shirts.
The protesters were however, arrested by operatives of the Department of State Services after allegedly being apprehended by the church security.
Pastor Paul Enenche, in a statement released by his spokesperson, Adah Ochowechi said that the church is not a political arena where such events are allowed to take place.
He also denied the involvement of the church security saying that the protesters were arrested by the DSS outside the church premises.
His statement:
“Our attention has been drawn to a misleading caption in the media space about the arrest and detention of youths in our church on Sunday, 4th July 2021.
“The narrative being peddled is that some youths wearing t-shirts branded with #BuhariMustGo merely came to church and walked up to the alter as first-timers and were arrested by the church and handed over to DSS.
“Nothing can be further than the truth. The church holds 3 services every Sundayand the Senior Pastor, Dr Paul Enenche preaches in all the services. After the sermon in the first service on that Sunday, an alter call was made to which many people came out, including the said youths and nothing happened to them.
“No one questioned the legality or otherwise of the inscription on th t-shirts.
“However, soon after their departure from the alter, they swung into a protest with blaring trumpet and saxophone right from the exit door of the church. At the game time, the event was being covered and live-streamed with the background shot of the church building and those of the thronging crown both exiting and entering the sanctuary for the next service.
“The live-streaming had the caption, ‘Buhari Must Go protest hits Dunamis Church in Abuja’.”
“This appears intriguing for many reasons:
“No one knew who they were and where they came from.
“No one one knew the organisation they represented or their ultimate agenda until the DSS apprehended them.
“No standard rule of engagement was followed as they mere sneaked into the church and swung into protest on a holy day of service.
“Moreover, the church is not an activism ground but a centre for the projection of truth against all forms of evil. The church is non-political and non-partisan and thus not an appropriate ground for political protests. It is not the seat of government where those being protested against reside.
“We wish to state categorically that Dunamis International Gospel Centre has no hand in the arrest, and the detention of the said youths as they were arrested outside the premises of the church. The church has no right to arrest and detain people and has no detention custody. The right of arrest and detention resides with government security agencies.”