The Senior Pastor of Word of Power Gospel Church International, Apostle Festus Alilu, has publicly apologised to Pastor Korede Komaiya of The Master’s International Church, Warri, Delta state, over defamatory comments made in a social media video.
In a letter dated Sunday, March 23, Alilu acknowledged that his remarks were inappropriate and had harmed Komaiya’s reputation.
He added that he had removed the controversial video from his Facebook page and had uploaded a new video offering an apology.
How Alilu was arrested, detained
Alilu’s comments, made in a video posted on Saturday, March 8, triggered a backlash from Komaiya’s supporters. Some of them reported the matter to the police, resulting in Alilu’s arrest and detention.
Following his release, the pastor expressed regret over the incident.
“I write to express my sincere and unreserved apologies for a video I posted on my Facebook page on the 8th day of March 2025, where I criticized your style of preaching,” Alilu stated in his letter.
He added:
“I regret all the offensive content of the video and the negative effects on your reputation, congregation, and the entire body of Christ.
Christian group welcomes reconciliation
The Concerned Christian Youth Forum, a religious advocacy group, welcomed Alilu’s apology and urged others to avoid defamatory statements against religious leaders.
“We believe that the Christian faith and its leaders should be respected and protected against defamation and cyberbullying,” the group’s convener, Adama James Paul, said in a statement.
Paul warned against making defamatory comments under the guise of criticism, stressing that such actions could lead to legal consequences.
“A criminal offence isn’t just against the victim but against the entire state,” he said.
“So do not come up with lame excuses that the victim is a Christian or Pastor and ought to have forgiven.”
Adeboye asks for release of Tiktoker
In another recent report, the general overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Pastor Enoch Adeboye, called for the release of the detained popular TikToker Ogunsanwo Olumide John, also known as Sea King.
Legit.ng reported that the content creator had, in a viral video on TikTok, branded Pastor Adeboye as “very stupid and foolish” for subjecting his congregation to a 100-day fast.
In a trending video making the rounds on social media X on Saturday, February 8, Pastor Adeboye revealed that he had nothing to do with the arrest but it was people who got angry that arrested Sea King on his behalf.
