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Rivers Pastor Flogs TV Employee for Shortening His Airtime + photos

Published

2 years ago

October 9, 2022

Glorious Abel

Glorious Abel, a staffer of the Rivers State Television (RSTV), has narrated how he was beaten and tortured by U. O. Miracle, founder of the Dynamic Flame of Fire and Miracle Ministries, for making adjustments to a lengthy broadcast programme.

Abel told FIJ that Miracle physically assaulted him with the help of some mobile police officers in Port-Harcourt, Rivers State, on October 5.

“I was the broadcast operations supervisor on duty at the media house that night. My role was just to transmit programmes on air,” said Abel.

“On that particular night, the pastor had a programme which was to be aired. When I checked his material, the time duration was 37:30, approximately 38 minutes in media time.

Pastor U.O Miracle

“Normally, in the media, there is a time allotted for every programme. The time allotted for his programme was just 30 minutes, and there was supposed to be another religious programme after the pastor’s.

“What I did to save time was to remove the extra eight minutes so the pastor’s programme could be exactly 30 minutes.”

THE ATTACK ON ABEL

“When the pastor was watching the programme from his house, I think, he didn’t see a particular advertisement. It could be that the advert went off, as the time of the programme was trimmed,” Abel told FIJ

“I didn’t know whether there was indeed an advert in the programme or not, because I was not in charge of previewing programmes. My own focus was just the timing of each programme.”

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Pastor Miracle, who was infuriated by the time trimming, went to the RSTV studio to wait for Abel.

“After a while, when most of my colleagues had gone home, I heard a knock on my protector. When I went outside to check, I saw a strange face that wanted me to come outside, but I declined because it was late,” Abel narrated.

“I couldn’t go outside due to security reasons, since it was way past 9 pm. After declining to meet him, I went back inside to continue my work.”

“After a short while, I heard a couple of more persistent knocks on my protector. This time around, when I went out to check, I found out that it was one of our security guards on duty.”

“I asked him what was wrong and he said our general manager had asked him to pick up something from the reception stand. I offered to help him pick it up then pass it, but he insisted that I just open the door and he would pick up whatever he needed himself.

“Since he was a colleague and guard on duty, I didn’t suspect anything. I just opened the door for him.”

Abel thought he opened the door for a friend and colleague, but he had just played into the pastor’s hands.

“Immediately I opened the door, this guy gave a signal, and before I even realised what was going on, I just saw about five armed men, who I presume were mobile police officers based on their uniform, walking towards me,” Abel narrated.

Glorious Abel

“The next thing I knew, someone just slapped me from nowhere and gripped my shirt. I looked up and saw that it was the pastor.

“When I saw that I was overpowered, I tried to protect myself by running back into the building, as they were trying to pull me outside. I put up a struggle, so the uniformed men started hitting me on the head with the butt of their guns so they could render me unconscious and carry me to God-knows-where.

“They kept on hitting me with their guns until they overpowered me and successfully carried me into their waiting vehicle. The security guard was just looking while it all happened. He didn’t do anything. He was just watching.”

MIRACLE ABDUCTS ABEL, TORTURES HIM

Abel was taken to an unknown destination for further beating and torturing.

“They drove to an unknown location, which I was unfamiliar with, while one of the armed officers kept hitting me. When we got to the unknown place, I saw some people there laying on the floor,” said Abel.

“The next thing the pastor did was to remove my belt. He ordered one of the armed men to hold my legs and another to hold my hands. They pinned me down so I wouldn’t move.

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“Then the pastor started flogging me with my own belt. He flogged me till my belt literally cut in his hands. At that point, I could hardly stay conscious due to the pain.

“Even when my belt was in pieces, he requested for his cane, which he called the ‘Holy Ghost Koboko’, and continued flogging me. Though I didn’t count, the flogging was up to a 100 on my back.

“When he was done flogging me, he threw some money at me in the presence of his boys for treatment. I refused to pick the money, but when he insisted that he wouldn’t let me leave, I had to pick it.”

MIRACLE’S ASSISTANT SPEAKS

After the beatings and torture by the pastor, Abel was returned to his office.

“He ordered his boys to drive me back to my office, but this time, they didn’t drive into the compound. They just dropped me by the roadside close to my office, then asked me to walk across to my building,” Abel recounted.

“I walked back to my building in pain. My general manager was aware of the incident, as it had been reported to him by a colleague of mine who was also at work that night. He even tried calling me after the pastor and his guys took me away, but I wasn’t allowed to use my phone.

“It was when I was dropped off and got back to the office that I had the privilege to narrate the experience to him.”

FIJ attempted to speak with the pastor, but his personal assistant wouldn’t let it happen. On the first try, she said the “man of God” was in a spiritual conference.

On the second try, she said the pastor was in a meeting with some commissioners, and on the third, she denied the pastor’s involvement in the assault.

“No, no, no, he wasn’t the one that flogged anybody. That’s not what happened,” she said in the pastor’s defence.

“Our lawyers and journalists will paste what happened. Whatever you saw or heard is not the truth. The man of God never had issues with any staffer. We are surprised at what is going on.

“The manager of RSTV too has been calling us that he wants to reach the man of God, but he is not around, as he has been fasting. Don’t worry, you will soon hear from the man of God.”

Pastor Miracle was the same man arrested by his local government chairman for flouting COVID-19 restrictions and holding a service for over 100 people during the 2020 lockdown.

Related Topics:Airtime Rivers Pastor RSTV TV

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We won’t stop Sharia panels from operating in Oyo – Gov Makinde

Published

2 hours ago

March 28, 2025

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Governor of Oyo State, Engr. Seyi Makinde

We won’t stop Sharia panels from operating in Oyo – Gov Makinde

Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, has assured Muslims in the state that he has no objections to the operation of Sharia panels, emphasizing that individuals are free to seek dispute resolution through them if they so wish.

Speaking at the 2025 Iftar event organized by the state government at the Government House, Agodi, Ibadan, Makinde clarified that he has no plans to challenge the legality of Sharia courts in the state. His comments were conveyed in a statement on Thursday by his media aide, Dr. Sulaimon Olanrewaju.

Earlier in the week, Dr. Rafiu Bello, Chairman of the Sharia Committee of Oyo Land, had confirmed that a Sharia panel had already been established in Oyo town and had begun sittings. This led to renewed discussions regarding the panel’s constitutionality.

In response, Makinde reiterated his stance that the Constitution remains the supreme authority in all legal matters while acknowledging the role of Sharia panels in alternative dispute resolution.

“I read in the newspaper that I would go to court for interpretation on the Sharia panel, which is ongoing in Oyo. That is not my position,” the governor stated. “My position is that we will support anything that is in our Constitution.”

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Makinde explained that alternative dispute resolution mechanisms, including the Sharia panel, could ease the burden on the courts, provided they do not conflict with constitutional provisions.

He further emphasized his administration’s commitment to maintaining religious harmony and unity in the state, cautioning against attempts to use religion for political gains.

“As we move towards the next election, there will be elements that only think about the next election. But what we have done in this administration is to think about the next generation,” he said.

The governor also used the occasion to appreciate the Muslim community for their support and prayers, acknowledging the contributions of religious leaders, lawmakers, and security agencies in fostering peace and development in Oyo State.

The event was attended by several dignitaries, including former Governor Rashidi Ladoja, Deputy Governor Bayo Lawal, Speaker of the Oyo State House of Assembly, Adebo Ogundoyin (represented by Deputy Speaker Mohammed Fadeyi), and other key figures from the judiciary and legislative arms of government.

We won’t stop Sharia panels from operating in Oyo – Gov Makinde

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EFCC re-arraigns son of ex-PDP chairman for alleged N2.2bn oil subsidy fraud

Published

2 hours ago

March 28, 2025

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EFCC re-arraigns son of ex-PDP chairman for alleged N2.2bn oil subsidy fraud

Mamman Nasir Ali, the son of former chairman of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP and one Christian Taylor were on Thursday rearraigned for an alleged N2.2 billion oil subsidy fraud before Justice Mojisola Dadap of the Special Offences Court sitting in Ikeja, Lagos by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.

They were re-arraigned alongside Nasaman Oil Services Limited on an amended 57-count charge, following new findings in the case.

The defendants had initially been arraigned on a 49-count charge bordering on conspiracy to obtain money by false pretence, obtaining money by false pretence, forgery and the use of false documents.

At the scheduled trial for the adoption of final written addresses on Wednesday, the prosecution counsel, Seiduh Atteh, informed the court of the amended charges and requested that the defendants take a fresh plea.

There was no objection from the defence counsel, Obafemi Kolade, SAN.

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Consequently, the court granted the request.

The defendants, thereafter, pleaded “not guilty” to the amended charges preferred against them.

In the amended charge, the defendants, as well as Oluwaseun Ogunbambo and Olabisi Abdul Afeez, who are both at large, allegedly “fraudulently obtained money from the Federal Government on or about September 9, 2011.”

The defendants also allegedly forged a document titled: “ GASOLINE ANALYSIS” on board MT Overseas Limar, purportedly issued by Saybolt Concremat on the said date.

Following the re-arraignment, Kolade requested time for the defence to amend its written address in response to the new charges.

Justice Dada directed the prosecution to file a response before the next hearing.

The case was adjourned till April 15, 2025 for the adoption of final written addresses.

EFCC re-arraigns son of ex-PDP chairman for alleged N2.2bn oil subsidy fraud

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Group says Natasha’s recall will deepen democracy

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March 28, 2025

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Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan

Group says Natasha’s recall will deepen democracy

The Campaign for Democracy, a civil society organisation, on Thursday said the recall of Sen. Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan (PDP-Kogi Central) by her constituents would deepen democracy in Nigeria.

The pro-democracy group also said that such action by her concerned constituents would help put lawmakers on their toes to serve them well.

The group made this known in a statement issued in Lokoja by its President, Mr Ifeanyi Odili.

It expressed worry over what it described as “avoidable” crisis between embattled suspended Sen. Akpoti-Uduaghan and Senate President Godswill Akpabio a few weeks ago.

According to the group, the incident has put Nigeria’s image on trial before the global community.

The CSO said it was worried that, rather than addressing the core issues surrounding her (Akpoti-Uduaghan) suspension within the framework of Nigeria’s democratic institutions, she chose to “engage in a campaign of calumny against the Senate as an institution.”

“It’s unfortunate that Akpoti-Uduaghan’s activities within and outside the country since the beginning of the controversy have cast an unfortunate dent on the image of Nigeria, for which she must apologise.

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“This is nothing but gross misconduct against Nigeria,” it said.

It advised respected Nigerian leaders to always identify when not to play opposition politics with delicate national issues, in the best interest of the nation.

“More worrisome is the fact that she has distorted the facts preceding her suspension and curiously held on to her sexual harassment allegations against the Senate President as the reason for the initial actions taken against her.

“Taking such misrepresentation to the world stage and representing Nigeria illegally at the Inter Parliamentary Union to air such views can be described as nothing but gross misconduct against the country.