Fight At Foursquare Church In Lagos Over Plot To Arrest Pastor

The dispute between the Headquarters of Foursquare Gospel Church and one of its parishes has deepened. It took fresh twist on Sunday when policemen from Zone 2, Onikan, Lagos, stormed Livingspring Tabernacle in Ikorodu on the outskirts of the state, to arrest its senior pastor, Rev. Isaac Adeyemi.

The policemen acting on instructions from the church’s board of directors had on Saturday gone to Adeyemi’s house to arrest him, but picked up his 25-year-old son, Peter, when they didn’t meet their target.

They repeated the visit on Sunday, at the church’s premises, but met a brick wall in their attempt to take away the pastor. They were accompanied by officials from the church’s headquarters in a white coaster bus.

The crisis stemmed from the headquarters’ decision to suspend Adeyemi for “abandoning” a leadership conference for “Embrace,” a soul-winning programme put together by the Tabernacle. 

The church’s national officials claimed Adeyemi was suspended for six months for shunning the conference. But the senior pastor insisted that he is not under suspension, adding that the decision was pre-conceived because stipulated guidelines were not followed...

On Sunday, aggrieved church members rallied behind their pastor and pelted the visiting officials with sachets of pure water. They locked the main gate and threatened to disgrace the officials should they step into the church premises.

They also resisted church officials’ moves to address them, saying the Foursquare General Overseer is trying to destroy the church by removing Adeyemi and put his own man in charge.

The gun-wielding policemen shook their heads in disbelief at the unfolding scenario in the church. The officer in charge rebuffed attempts by journalists to talk to him on the matter.

According to Nation, the congregation chanted solidarity songs and called for the release of the senior pastor’s son, who is still in police custody at Onikan.

They also carried placards some of which read: “Give us Peter”; ”John 3:16 is God’s commandment”; ”Stop this intimidation now”; "Embrace equal evangelism and soul winning,” and “We support our pastor, Rev. Adeyemi.”

The drama continue as they await the headquarters next move.