The Administrative Assistant to the Bishop of the United Methodist Church Nigeria Episcopal Area (UMCN) Rev. Yoti Filiya, has called on pastors and laity of the Church to desist from associating Bishop John Wesley Yohanna with the case between Taraba State Police Command and some clergymen of the church as the Bishop has never taken any member of the church to the Police Station.


Rev. Filiya while fielding questions from newsmen in Jalingo, Taraba State, debunked claims by a media report that Bishop John Wesley is conniving with the police in the state to harass and maltreat some Pastors and laity, stressing that the Bishop has never taken any Pastor or laity to the police station and as such cannot influence any act of the Police.


” It is quite unfortunate that some clergymen and laity from the Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church would allow themselves to be crowded by the sentiment of few people and even accused Bishop John Wesley of taking side with the police to maltreat and harass Pastors of his Church, the bishop has never taken any Pastor to the police station so how can he take side with the police?


“The only case we know of is between the Taraba State Police Command and some clergymen and laity of UMCN who are been prosecuted for spying on the sensitivity property of the Taraba State Police Command and sending pictures to foreign partners abroad, which the Police said contravenes the Official Secret Act” He emphasized.


He noted that the Taraba State Police Command Public Relations Officer Dsp David Misal had on June 25, 2021, issued a press release debunking claims by some clergymen and laity that Bishop John Wesley Yohanna is using the Police in Taraba state to harass Pastors of his Church.


” I would like to draw the attention of My brothers in the Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church in Nigeria and members of the public to the press release issued by the Taraba State Police Command on the 25 June 2021, where the police clearly stated why the United Methodist Church Pastors were taken to court.


“The Police had accused Rev. Andi Emmanuel, Rev. Ignatius Jesse, Pastor Ahmed Ahmed and Mr. Nicodemus Heman for spying and taken photographers of the Command Criminal Investigative Department (CID), State Intelligence Bureau Office SIB and other sensitive locations of the Police headquarters and forwarded same to the United Methodist Church Council of Bishop’s alleging that the Police is been used and paid by Bishop John Wesley Yohanna to harass them, this act the Police said contravenes the ‘Official Secret Act’ so the said persons were taken to court and are now being tried for their offense and the Police has repeatedly exonerated John Wesley Yohanna from the case between the Taraba State Police Comma and some clergymen and laity of the United Methodist Church in Nigeria”. He stressed.


The Administrative Assistant to the Bishop also called on members of the United Methodist Church and the general public to disregard the misinformation making the rounds that the Bishop has a hand on the court case between the Taraba State Police Command and some clergymen and laity, stressing that the Bishop is not a party to the case as such he cannot influence any decisions of the court, while also calling on the Taraba State Police Command to invite Rev. Musa Lana of the UMCN Annual Conference to provide evidence to his claims.


On the issue of financial accountability, Rev. Yoti Audu said the United Methodist Church is founded on the principles of democracy where every leader is held accountable and Bishop John Wesley Yohanna has always been open for any financial audit.


” I want to let the United Methodist Church members and the general public to know that Bishop John Wesley Yohanna operates an open door policy where every member can come ask questions on any issues, more so the Church have its Annual General Conference where all expenditures of the church are made available for members to see, and for the past 9 years the United Methodist Church has experienced rapid development especially in the area of health care, Church planting, Radio station, orphanage, schools, and Agriculture activities; and all these projects are receipted and documented,” he said.


He also called on members not to allow the seed of discord to be planted amongst them by some few Count Bishop John Wesley out of Police case and UMCN Pastors.


The Administrative Assistant to the Bishop of the United Methodist Church Nigeria Episcopal Area (UMCN) Rev. Yoti Audu Filiya, has called on pastors and laity of the Church to desist from associating Bishop John Wesley Yohanna of the UMCN with the case between Taraba State Police Command and some clergymen of the church as the Bishop has never taken any member of the church to the Police Station.


Rev. Audu who spoke in an interview with newsmen in Jalingo, Taraba State, debunked claims in a media report that Bishop John Wesley is conniving with the police in Taraba state to harass and maltreat some Pastors and laity’s, stressing that the Bishop has never taken any Pastor or laity to the police station and as such cannot influence any act of the Police.


” It is quite unfortunate that some clergymen and laity from the Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church would allow themselves to be crowded by the sentiment of few people and even accused Bishop John Wesley of taking side with the police to maltreat and harass Pastors of his Church, the bishop has never taken any Pastor to the police station so how can he take side with the police?


“The only case we know of is between the Taraba State Police Command and some clergymen and laity of UMCN who are been prosecuted for spying on the sensitivity property of the Taraba State Police Command and sending pictures to foreign partners abroad, which the Police said contravenes the Official Secret Act,” he said.


He noted that the Taraba State Police Command Public Relations Officer Dsp David Misal had on June 25, 2021, issued a press release debunking claims by some clergymen and laity that Bishop John Wesley Yohanna is using the Police in Taraba state to harass Pastors of his Church.


” I would like to draw the attention of My brothers in the Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church in Nigeria and members of the public to the press release issued by the Taraba State Police Command on the 25 June 2021, where the police clearly stated why the United Methodist Church Pastors were taken to court.


“The Police had accused Rev. Andi I Emmanuel, Rev. Ignatius Jesse, Pastor Ahmed A Ahmed and Mr. Nicodemus Heman for spying and taken photographers of the Command Criminal Investigative Department (CID), State Intelligence Bureau Office SIB, and other sensitive locations of the Police headquarters and forwarded same to the United Methodist Church Council of Bishop’s alleging that the Police is been used and paid by Bishop John Wesley Yohanna to harass them, this act the Police said contravenes the ‘Official Secret Act;


“so the said persons were taken to court and are now being tried for their offense and the Police has repeatedly exonerated Bishop John Wesley Yohanna from the case between the Taraba State Police Command and some clergymen and laity of the United Methodist Church in Nigeria”. He stressed.


The Administrative Assistant to the Bishop also called on members of the United Methodist Church and the general public to disregard the misinformation making the rounds that the Bishop has a hand on the court case between the Taraba State Police Command and some clergymen and laity.


He stressed that the Bishop is not a party to the case as such he cannot influence any decisions of the court, while also calling on the Taraba State Police Command to invite Rev. Musa Lana of the UMCN Annual Conference to provide evidence to support his claims.


On the issue of financial accountability, Rev. Yoti Audu said the United Methodist Church is founded on the principles of democracy where every leader is held accountable and Bishop John Wesley Yohanna has always been open for any financial audit.


” I want to let the United Methodist Church members and the general public to know that Bishop John Wesley Yohanna operates an open door policy where every member can come ask questions on any issues, more so the Church have its Annual General Conference where all expenditures of the church are made available for members to see, and for the past 9 years the United Methodist Church has experienced rapid development especially in the area of health care, Church planting, Radio station, orphanage, schools, and Agriculture activities; and all these projects are receipted and documented,” he said.


He also called on members not to allow the seed of discord to be planted amongst them by some few individuals in the church who are pushing for their interest at the detriment of the unity of the church. individuals in the church who are pushing for their interest at the detriment of the unity of the church.