The Prophet of Christ Mercy Land Deliverance Ministry, Abuja, Jeremiah Fufeyin, has denied allegations suggesting that his ministry used the name of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, NAFDAC to deceive the public about spiritual products.
In a statement published on Sunday by the church’s media arm and signed by Sophia Iloyd, the church called the allegations false and misleading.
The statement was a response to NAFDAC’s statement on Sunday, warning the public about the activities of the Fufeyin Church which it says had used the agency’s name to mislead the public.
The church, however, said it was a law-abiding institution that abides by the laws of the land, including those of NAFDAC.
She emphasized that she is acting under the protection of Articles 38 and 39 of the Constitution of Nigeria, which guarantees freedom of religion and expression. “As a church, we are guided by our faith and the teachings of the Bible. We use spiritual objects as expressions of our religious beliefs.
“The church has strongly denied the claims made in the publication, which suggested that NAFDAC had warned the public about the activities of the ministry.
“Our church has never misled the public. We have not manufactured or sold any consumer goods to the public, so as not to use the name of NAFDAC to do so,” the statement said.
He also clarified that the only pending complaint against the church is a petition by Mr. Martins Vincent Otse, also known as Verydarkman, which the church brought to court for various charges.
Fufeyin Church admitted that it received a letter from NAFDAC dated August 27, 2024, inviting the spiritual leader of the church to conduct an investigation into the use of miraculous and healing items.
However, the church said it had less than 12 hours to respond and had already communicated its position to NAFDAC through official report.
The church also alleged that the complainant, Otse, falsified invoices to support his claims against the ministry.
These invoices, he said, were different from those usually issued by the church’s accounting office and had discrepancies in dates and details.
“We wrote to NAFDAC and informed them that the invoices presented by the complainant were being investigated by the police. Despite this, NAFDAC has not responded to our letters or provided comments on this matter,” the statement concluded.