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Rape Scandal: Jealous Pastors Behind Fatoyinbo’s Ordeal – COZA
The leadership of Common Wealth of Zion Assembly (COZA) has said that the attacks on its founder, Biodun Fatoyinbo, are the handiwork of pastors who feel threatened by the church’s growth.
This was contained in a statement by Ademola Adetuberu, Executive Senior Assistant to Pastor Fatoyinbo, on Sunday.
“We see this ugly development fuelled by envy and sheer jealousy as an unnecessary distraction and a fight from the pit of hell against the ministry that God gave Rev Biodun Fatoyinbo, as well as the declaration of war against the Church of Christ to which COZA is a flourishing branch under God’s grace,” his statement read.
“Following unprovoked satanic campaign of calumny orchestrated against the leadership and members of COZA by agents of darkness. We are not unaware that certain pastors who feel threatened by the unprecedented growth of COZA and the grace of God upon His servant are after some of our members,” the statement said.
COZA, however, said it does not support rape or sexual molestation in any form. It said it, in fact, stood with rape victims, as well as with Mr Fatoyinbo, who it said was a victim of organised blackmail.
Mr Adetuberu also said Busola, wife of popular singer, Timi Dakolo, who instituted a rape allegation suit against the embattled cleric, would soon face justice. He insisted that Mr Fatoyinbo had no intimate relationship with her.
The statement is coming a day after Mr Fatoyinbo asked an Abuja High Court to dismiss the suit instituted against him by his accuser.
Mr Fatoyinbo’s request is stated in his preliminary objection dated September 20 which was filed through his lawyer, Alex Izinyon.
He also said he wants an order of the court to dismiss the suit for “being statute barred and incompetent.”
He also said Mrs Dakolo’s case against him is an abuse of judicial process. He further prayed for an award cost of N50 million to be paid to him.
Backstory
Mrs Dakolo had approached the court to seek redress in the allegation made against Mr Fatoyinbo.
Following an application, dated September 6, by Mrs. Dakolo through her lawyer, Pelumi Olajengbesi & Co., the court ordered Mr Fatoyinbo or his counsel to appear before it within 14 days after receiving the summons by the court.
In the application, Mrs Dakolo had wanted Mr Fatoyinbo to issue a public apology to her for the alleged assault committed in 2002.
Mrs Dakolo, who accused the founder of Commonwealth of Zion Assembly (COZA) of assaulting her in 2002 before she became 18, also wants Mr Fatoyinbo to pay her N10 million as the cost of instituting the suit.
Mr Fatoyinbo, who had been enmeshed in other sexual scandals before the recent allegation, runs the Abuja headquarters of his church with his wife, Modele.
In an interview published by YNaija in June, Mrs Dakolo alleged she was ‘assaulted twice’ within a space of one week by Fatoyinto while she worshipped as a member of his church.
Premium Times
The first hostages freed from Gaza under a long-awaited ceasefire agreement are back in Israel. The news sparked jubilant scenes in Tel Aviv where large crowds gathered ahead of their release.
The three freed Israeli hostages – the first of 33 to be released over the next six weeks – are Romi Gonen, Doron Steinbrecher and Emily Damari. They are said to be in good health and are receiving treatment at a medical center in Tel Aviv.
In exchange, 90 Palestinian prisoners and detainees are set to be released by Israel from Ofer Prison in the occupied West Bank.
The Israeli military withdrew from several locations in southern and northern Gaza after the truce began earlier on Sunday, an Israeli military official told CNN.
Displaced Gazans have started returning to their homes, while the aid trucks laden with much-needed supplies have crossed into Gaza. Here’s what we know about how the ceasefire deal will work.
Hamas, despite suffering devastating losses, is framing the Gaza ceasefire agreement as a victory for itself, and a failure for Israel.
One of Hamas’ main goals for taking some 250 people during its brazen October 7, 2023, attack on Israel was to secure the release of Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli jails. As Israel pounded Gaza in response, Hamas vowed not to return the hostages until Israel withdrew its forces from the enclave, permanently ended the war, and allowed for rebuilding.
Source: CNN
The leader of UK’s Conservative Party, Kemi Badenoch, has said she doesn’t want Britain to be like Nigeria that is plagued by “terrible governments.”
Speaking on Thursday at an event organised by Onward, a British think tank producing research on economic and social issues, Badenoch expressed fears that Britain may become like Nigeria if the system is not reformed.
“And why does this matter so much to me? It’s because I know what it is like to have something and then to lose it,” Badenoch told the audience.
“I don’t want Britain to lose what it has.
“I grew up in a poor country and watched my relatively wealthy family become poorer and poorer, despite working harder and harder as their money disappeared with inflation.
“I came back to the UK aged 16 with my father’s last £100 in the hope of a better life.
“So I have lived with the consequences of terrible governments that destroy lives, and I never, ever want it to happen here.”
Badenoch has been in the news of late after she dissociated herself from Nigeria, saying she has nothing to do with the Islamic northern region.
She also accused the Nigeria Police of robbing citizens instead of protecting them.
She said: “My experience with the Nigeria Police was very negative. Coming to the UK, my experience with the British Police was very positive.
“The police in Nigeria will rob us (laughter). When people say I have this bad experience with the police because I’m black, I say well…I remember the police stole my brother’s shoe and his watch.”
