This Day (Lagos)

January 29, 2006

Toba Suleiman of This Day
Abeokuta

Pastor and spiritual head Celestial Church of Christ (CCC) worldwide; Prophet Bolanle Shonekan has accused police of conniving with a faction of the church to attack him in December last year at Celestial City,

Imeko area of Ogun State. Shonekan, who addressed a press conference at the weekend in Abeokuta where he explained his ordeal in the hands of other Celestial members during the yearly celebrations, said he was disappointed that police could not rescue him despite that he had initially lodged complaints with them before he left for the city.

The American based Celestial head said on the fateful day; he was at the city with his members, when suddenly other members belonging to the defunct Board of Trustees/Pastor-in-Council of Celestial Church of Christ and their agents pounced on him.

According to him, on sighting him scores of Cele members started shouting thieve â??Oleâ??, Oleâ??, while others were hauling sticks and others missiles at him.

In the process, he explained further that one of his aids quickly informed the police through GSM phone.

He said their grouse against him was that he claimed to be the spiritual head of the church while the son of the late Pastor and Founder of the church, Mobiyina Osoffa also claimed to be the head.

He however expressed regret that even the police who were supposed to provide security for him turned out to be agents of his attackers.

He said he thought that rather than arresting him, the police supposed to rescue him and put him in a safe environment.

The CCC spiritual head stated further that he was to be killed in the custody of police who kept him against his wish for more than 24 hours without food and medical attention despite that they claimed he was not arrested, but rescued him. He said he had waited enough since last December to see if police would effect the arrest of his attackers, but up till now nothing had happened. Shonekan said he was surprised how a complainant suddenly became the accused, while the accused people are now walking the streets with the police refusing to take action.

The cleric who said he knew that his life was in danger, called on the police to quickly rise up to their responsibilities of protecting their helpless Nigerians.