A popular Nigerian pastor, Paul Adefarasin, has denied bearing and pointing a fire arm at a content creator, identified as YI_the cargury, in Lagos.
In a viral video, YI_cargury, had shown Adefarasin, senior pastor of the House on the Rock, holding an object, which some people claimed was a firearm.
The content creator is known for filming luxury cars and posting the footage on his social media platform.
While delivering a sermon his Lagos-based church on Sunday June 8, the clergyman said he was falsely accused of bearing firearm and that he does not have a licence to bear one.
Quoting Ephesians 6:12, Adefarasin said, “We do not wrestle against flesh and blood but against spiritual powers and princes, spiritual wickedness in heavenly places, spiritual wickedness in high places, and a range of about 13 Kedah of demonic hosts. And so the enticement of the enemy is always the love of money at the root of all evil. We have witnessed click baiters just looking for more money. I probably wasn’t even their target. Their target was to make more money.
“And I was falsely accused of bearing a firearm, pointing a firearm at an aggressive content creator who came within personal distance. The only thing separating him (the content creator) and me was maybe three-quarters of a meter and a class. I do not have a pistol license for a firearm. I do not carry a firearm, and I pointed no firearm at anybody. And it’s our policy not to dignify hate speech, false accusations.”
He said he was hurt and shocked when some people brought the online controversy surrounding the video to his attention.
“We believe that God is bigger than that, and we believe in what is said in Romans 12 and verse 19. It was unique. After all, I came home on a Saturday when I observed the Sabbath because it was a great time for me. I don’t make a huge law out of the Sabbath, but I believe in the principle of the Sabbath.
“Unfortunately, several people called me and sent me many videos. I was shocked. I’ll be candid with you. I was shocked. I was hurt. I am human. But God is touched by our infirmities and can first give us succour. And what the enemy means for evil, he works for good.”
Content creator apologises
Meanwhile, YI_cargury has apologised to Adefarasin over the issue.
“Good afternoon, sir. I hope you are well, sir. And the family, sir, I am very sorry for what happened yesterday about the video. Sir, I honestly did not know that you were a pastor. I am just a young boy with no father or mother, trying to build my content and myself. I can’t steal or obtain people.
“This is what I love doing, spotting and posting luxurious cars, sir. Never imagined it would go viral this way, or people we talked about it like this, I’m very sorry, sir
Please, sir, I sincerely apologise. Kindly find it in your heart to forgive me. I am truly very sorry, sir,” the content creator said in his Instagram Story.
Not first time
This is not the first time Adefarasin and his church are enmeshed in controversy over firearm.
In February 2023, a pastor of the church, Uche Aigbe, was arrested by the police for bringing firearm its branch in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.
The pastor, who mounted the pulpit with an AK-47 rifle was later taken into custody alongside two others.
However, the church told the police that the pastor merely used the gun merely as a visual aid to illustrate his sermon and never intended to kill.
The police subsequently arraigned him before a magistrate’s court.
