On Tuesday, over seven bishops, led by protesters from Christ MercyLand Deliverance Ministry, Abuja, and other Christian faiths, converged on the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) office in Asaba, Delta State capital, to express their grievances against NAFDAC’s alleged attack on Senior Prophet Jeremiah Fufeyin.
The protesters, despite the heavy rain, carried placards with inscriptions such as “Spiritual products have spiritual backing, don’t need NAFDAC approval” and “When it comes to spiritual, respect it.” They were drawn from Fufeyin’s Church and other Christian denominations.
Speaking on behalf of the protesters, Metropolitan Archbishop of the Charismatic Anglican Church of Nigeria, Samuel Baaba cautioned NAFDAC against interfering with spiritual matters. “We are men of God, and we are here to send a message to NAFDAC to refrain from its step over spiritual matters,” Baaba said. “NAFDAC does not have the right to regulate spiritual products. There is a limit to what people can do especially when it comes to matters of faith.”
Rector of Union Theological Institute and Seminary, Port Harcourt, Evangelical Church Calixtus Ewurum also spoke out against NAFDAC’s actions. “To the best of my knowledge and which I have read through the NAFDAC Act, 2004, if there is an amendment, I don’t know where it could regulate spiritual products,” he said. “NAFDAC doesn’t have the right to declare the products fake when they never tested the product. NAFDAC should clearly state what is wrong with the water.”
The protest follows a statement by NAFDAC’s Director General, Prof Mojisola Adeyeye on Sunday, alerting Nigerians to the activities of Christ Mercy Land Delivery Ministries led by Prophet Jeremiah Fufeyin. She claimed that none of the products (Miracle & Healing Water, River Jordan Water, among others) were registered with NAFDAC and advised the public to stop patronizing any of the miracle products.
