Pat Stevens/
Some journalists were reportedly arrested by policemen and security personnel working for the Commonwealth of Zion Assembly (COZA) in Abuja during the anti-rape protest at the church this morning.
One of the journalists, Meshack Idehen of meshackdaily.com, who raised the alarm through a message he shared on a WhatsApp group, said he and others were arrested about 7.30am.
He said they were taken to Asokoro police station without being informed of their offence.
NewsmakersNG learnt that the journalists were later released about 1pm, following the intervention of the Divisional Police Officer in charge of Asokoro Division, Mrs. Aisha Yusuf.
Protesters had besieged the Abuja headquarters of the church in Guzape and the Lagos branch along Mobolaji Bank Anthony Way, Ikeja, following allegations of rape against the church’s founder, Pastor Biodun Fatoyinbo.
One of the protesters at the Abuja protest held a megaphone through which she addressed the crowd.
The same scenario played out at the Lagos protest, where a man used a megaphone to address the protesters.
The protesters carried banners with various inscriptions such as: “Preach, not rape,” “Pastor is not above the law,” “Your pastor is not your God,” “No to rape in the church,” among others.
Busola Dakolo, wife of popular singer, Timi Dakolo, had on Friday, accused Fatoyinbo of raping her twice in Ilorin, Kwara State, about 20 years ago, when she was 17.
See more photos from the protest:
