•Prophet Fufeyin
The Senior Prophet of Christ MercyLand Deliverance Ministry, Abuja, Jeremiah Fufeyin, has denied allegations suggesting that his ministry has been using the name of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control to mislead the public regarding spiritual items.
In a statement issued yesterday by the church’s media arm, and signed by Sophia Iloyd, the church described the allegations as false and misleading.
The statement was in a response to NAFDAC’s statement yesterday, alerting the public to the activities of Fufeyin’s church claiming he had been using the agency’s name to deceive the public.
The church, however, said it is a law-abiding institution that respects the laws of the land, including those of NAFDAC.
It emphasised that it operates under the protections of Sections 38 and 39 of the Nigerian Constitution, which guarantee freedom of religion and expression.
“As a church, we are guided by our faith and the teachings of the Bible. We have been using spiritual items as an expression of our religious beliefs.
“The church strongly denied claims made in the publication, which suggested that NAFDAC was warning the public about the ministry’s activities.
“At no point has our church deceived the public. We have not produced or sold consumable items to the public, let alone used NAFDAC’s name to do so,” the statement read.
It further clarified that the only complaint pending against the church is a petition by one Mr. Martins Vincent Otse, also known as Verydarkblackman, who the church has taken to court over various allegations.
Fufeyin’s church acknowledged receiving a letter from NAFDAC dated August 27, 2024, which invited the church’s spiritual head for an inquiry into its use of miracle and healing items such as miracle water, anointing oils, perfumes and others.
However, the church claimed that it was given less than 12 hours to respond and had already communicated its position to NAFDAC via official correspondence.
The church also alleged that the complainant, Otse, forged receipts to back his claims against the ministry.
These receipts, it said, were different from the ones typically issued by the church’s accounting office and had discrepancies in dates and details.
“We have written to NAFDAC and informed them that the receipts submitted by the complainant are under police investigation. Despite this, NAFDAC has not responded to our letters or provided any feedback on the matter,” the statement concluded.
