Founder of RIG Nation and Pioneer Church, UK, Apostle Tomi Arayomi, was briefly detained by security agents at the airport in Lagos, Nigeria on Friday.
His twin brother, Tobi Arayomi, broke the news of his arrest via Instagram, stating that he was apprehended by operatives of the Department of State Services for alleged politics-related prophecies he made.
Apostle Tomi had been making predictions about the 2023 Nigerian elections and the outcomes.
Ahead of the elections, he urged Nigerians to vote for an “outsider,” noting that the 2023 electoral process will first produce Bola Tinubu of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) as president-elect.
The DSS spokesperson, Peter Afunnaya, was reached out to for confirmation or denial of the arrest, but he insisted the journalist reached the pastor directly instead “and not conclude with what a third party said or told you.”
Roughly 40 minutes later, Tobi posted a photo of his brother and his wife on Instagram, stating that they had been released.
However, the assistant to the pastor is still in DSS custody.
The arrest of the UK-based pastor has sparked widespread reactions on social media. Some of his followers accused the Nigerian government of clamping down on religious leaders who are critical of the administration.
Others questioned the basis of his arrest, with some pointing out that the Nigerian Constitution guarantees freedom of expression.
It is unclear whether the pastor’s prophetic predictions about the 2023 Nigerian elections were the sole reason for his detention, as the DSS has yet to release an official statement on the matter.
Apostle Tomi’s RIG Nation and Pioneer Church is a popular Christian ministry with branches in several countries, including Nigeria, the United States, and the United Kingdom.
The ministry has a large following on social media and has been involved in several humanitarian projects, including feeding and clothing the less privileged.
The pastor was billed to be at his church branch in Abuja on April 7 for a program, but it is unclear whether the event will still hold, given the recent developments.
Article updated 2 months ago. Content is written and modified by multiple authors.
