By Danzumi Ishaku, Jalingo.
The Administrative Assistant to the Bishop of the United Methodist Church Nigeria Episcopal Area (UMCN) Rev. Yoti Audu Filiya, has called on pastors and laitys of the Church to desist from associating with Bishop Johnwesley Yohanna of the UMCN, with the case between Taraba State Police Command and some clargymen of the church as the Bishop has never taken any member of the church to the Police Station.
Rev. Audu who spoke in an interview with newsmen in Jalingo, Taraba State, debunked claims in a media report that Bishop Johnwesley is conniving with the police in Taraba state to harass and maltreat some Pastors and laity’s, stressing that the Bishop has never taken any Pastor or laitys to the police station and as such cannot influence any act of the Police.
” It is quite unfortunate that some clargymen and laitys from the Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church would allow themselves to be crowded by the sentiment of few people and even accused Bishop Johnwesley of taking side with the police to maltreat and harass Pastors of his Church, the bishop has never taken any Pastor to the police station so how can he take side with the police?
“The only case we know of is between the Taraba State Police Command and some clargymen and laitys of UMCN who are been prosecuted for spying on the sensitivity property of the Taraba State Police Command and sending picture to foreign partners abroad, which the Police said contravenes the Official Secret Act” he said.
He noted that the Taraba State Police Command Public Relations Officer Dsp David Misal had on June 25, 2021 issued a press release debunking claims by some clargymen and laitys that Bishop Johnwesley Yohanna is using the Police in Taraba state to harass Pastors of his Church.
” I would like to draw the attention of My brothers in the Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church in Nigeria and members of the public to the press release issued by the Taraba State Police Command on the 25 June 2021, where the police clearly stated why the United Methodist Church Pastors were taken to court.
“The Police had accused Rev. Andi I Emmanuel, Rev. Ignatius Jesse, Pastor Ahmed A Ahmed and Mr. Nicodemus Heman for spying and taken photographers of the Command Criminal Investigative Department (CID), State intelligence Bureau Office SIB and other sensitive locations of the Police headquarters and forwarded same to the United Methodist Church Council of Bishop’s alleging that the Police is been used and paid by Bishop Johnwesley Yohanna to harass them, this act the Police said contravenes the ‘Official Secret Act’ so the said persons where taken to court and are now being tried for their offense and the Police has repeatedly exronrated Bishop Johnwesley Yohanna from the case between the Taraba State Police Command and some clargymen and laitys of the United Methodist Church in Nigeria”. He stressed.
The Administrative Assistant to the Bishop also called on members of the United Methodist Church and the general public to disregard the misinformation making going round that the Bishop has hand on the court case between the Taraba State Police Command and some clargymen and laitys, stressing that the Bishop is not a party to the case as such he cannot influence any decisions of the court, while also calling on the Taraba State Police Command to invite Rev. Musa Lana of the UMCN Annual Conference to provide evidence to his claims.
On the issue of financial accountability, Rev. Yoti Audu said the United Methodist Church is founded on the principles of democracy where every leader is hold accountable and Bishop Johnwesley Yohanna has always been open for any financial audit.
” I want let the United Methodist Church members and the general public to know that Bishop Johnwesley Yohanna operate an open door policy where every member can come ask questions on any issues, more so the Church have it Annual General Conference where all expenditures of the church is made available for members to see, and for the past 9 years the United Methodist Church has experienced rapid development especially in the area of health care, Church planting, Radio station, orfanage, schools and Agriculture activities; and all these projects are receipted and documented” he said.
He also called on members not to allow the seed of discord to be planted amongst them by some few individuals in the church who are pushing for their personal interest at the detriment of the unity of the church.
