The leadership of Mountain of Fire and Miracle Ministries has debunked claims that it framed up ex-members of the church identified as Femi Jimoh and Caleb Oloruntele over an alleged planned attack against the church.

This was as the three individuals who testified against the former members in court over the alleged act narrated how the duo approached them to solicit their assistance on how to hire a gun to rob the “first fruits” offering of the church in the year 2008.

The individuals identified as Akeem Omojomolo, Tajudeen Usein, and Fatai Adebayo revealed how they played along in the plot, leading to their arrest.

Jimoh had in an interview accused the church of being behind his imprisonment for nine years without trial, over alleged armed robbery.

He claimed to have been framed by the church, adding that his trial started when he met the chief security officer of MFM founder, Pastor Daniel Olukoya, at a native doctor’s house.

On his part, Caleb, during an interview, said Olukoya wanted him dead because he refused to give false testimony against a pastor he identified as Femi Agboola.

The former MFM usher added that he was prosecuted in 2008 without any concrete evidence to prove the allegation against him.

Addressing journalists on Friday, the Chief Legal Adviser of the church, Davidson Adejuwon, said the duo had created some misconceptions among a section of the public.

He added that their claims of being locked up in jail for nine years for an offence they did not commit was false, mischievous and cruel.

He said, “Let me quickly and briefly address some of the lies being told to the public on this issue which has created some misconceptions among a section of the public.

“One of them is that MFM as a church and its General Overseer, Dr Daniel Olukoya, have no forgiving spirit. Mr Femi Jimoh is a perfect case study to prove that MFM as a church and its General Overseer are unrepentant forgivers.”

Adejuwon further explained that the General Overseer did not keep the duo in jail for nine years despite the plea from Jimoh’s mother.

He added that they were granted bail but failed to perfect their bail conditions.

He said, “Is it not curious to push a narrative that Dr Olukoya, the General Overseer, locked them up when all members of their family refused to get two individuals for nine years to stand as their sureties for them to be released? Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries is a responsible church that takes the welfare, safety and security of all its members very seriously.

“As such a case of planned armed attack on credible intelligence against the church which could have led to the death of any member cannot be treated and handled internally by the church.

“We must report such to the law enforcement agency saddled with the responsibilities to investigate and deal with such issues. And that was exactly what we did as a responsible church.”

Adejuwon remarked that all other events that transpired thereafter at the police station and during the trial were completely out of the control of the church because being a criminal matter, it became a case between the state and the defendants.

Reacting to claims that the arrest followed Jimoh’s contact with the then Chief Security Officer of the church, Olawale Gbadamosi, at a herbalist’s place at Ogbomosho in Oyo State, Adejuwon said, “It is absurd to imagine that a church a big as MFM will go so low to frame up two of its pastors just because of claim (which is false) that a CSO of the church was seen in a herbalist house.”

Gbadamosi, who was present at the briefing described the claim as untrue, adding, “I want to say before man and God that I have never set foot there to see any herbalist.”

Narrating how Jimoh and Caleb allegedly approached him for the operation, one of the three individuals, Akeem Omojomolo, said they planned to execute it in February.

Omojomolo also explained how they allegedly planned to trail the offering from the campground to the headquarters before striking.

Saudi Arabia has announced the sighting of the Dhul Hijjah crescent which signaled the beginning of the 12th Islamic month.

The announcement was made on Thursday.

Consequently, tomorrow will mark the beginning of the holy month. Also, the Hajj pilgrimage for 1445 AH-2024 will commence on Friday, June 14, with the day of Arafah falling on Saturday, June 15.

With the development, the Muslim biggest festival, Eid Al-Adha, will be observed on Sunday, June 16, 2024.

The Arafat Day, which precedes the festival, will fall on June 15.

Saudi Arabia’s Supreme Court had on Wednesday called on all Muslims across the Kingdom to participate in the sighting of the crescent moon of the Arabic month Dhu Al Hijjah.

This action is expected to help determine the commencement of the new and last month of the Hijr and also the day the festival falls on (Islamic) calendar.

Eid Al Adha, the biggest Islamic festival falls on the 10th of Dhu Al Hijjah.

Eid ul-Adha is celebrated by Muslims all around the world on the tenth day of Dhu al-Hijjah (the twelfth month of the Islamic lunar calendar)

It is the second major Islamic festival celebrated by Muslims after Eid-ul-Fitr.

G-Fresh al-Amin, a popular TikToker, has been arrested by operatives of the Hisbah Command in Kano state.

Daily Trust reports that Aliyu Usman, chairman and officer in charge of operation ‘Kai da Badala’ surveillance, confirmed the arrest on Sunday.

Usman said G-Fresh was arrested around 1 pm at his residence in the Badawa area of the state.

He said the TikToker was arrested for allegedly making inappropriate remarks.

G-Fresh was said to have recited Fatiha, the first chapter of the Quran, improperly during the last Salah celebration.

“He has been hiding for long and we have been extending invitations to him,” he said.

“I have called him on the phone several times, telling him to come for counselling based on the instructions of the Commandant General but he refused.

“We have no option but to go after him and arrest him. He is now in our custody after we got him today (Sunday) in his room and is undergoing investigation.”

Usman said G-Fresh will be charged to court on Monday.

The Kano Hisbah Board has in recent times arrested and remanded several TikTok users in the state for violating Islamic laws.

In February, Murja Kunya was arrested and remanded in prison over allegations that she was involved in immoral acts.