Nigerian lawyer and activist Deji Adeyanju has spoken up after a video of Pastor David Ibiyeomie went viral online. The pastor, who leads Salvation Ministries in Port Harcourt, was seen threatening to arrest anyone who speaks badly about him or his church.

In the video, Pastor Ibiyeomie accused some bloggers of twisting his words to serve their own purposes. He said he won’t allow people to misrepresent him and warned that he will take strong action against anyone who goes too far in criticizing him.

He also made it clear that he won’t be moved by anyone asking him to show mercy. Instead, he promised to deal strictly with those who disobey or disrespect him.

“My type when I go after people, they will now send people to come and beg. So I’m warning you for the last time. Next time, there will be nothing like a warning. If you dare it. A young man, I know you. Your father won’t beg me, I know your father too. Your mother won’t beg me. I will deal with you.

Because when I pick them and people say, why do you go like this? You know, people are one kind – some people will be for me and some people will be against me. But for me, there are always many.

I’m warning all of you who used to be against me. Hear now, because when I go that way, they will say ‘how can a man of God curse people, go and arrest people, will you do this one’.

So, when I go the other way, don’t come back to say this man of God is now using the police to arrest people. I will arrest you, I will lock you up. I don’t care. No man of God will pray for you and succeed.

Don’t carry my news. I don’t want your news. You won’t make me popular. Already, I am talking to the world. Good or bad, don’t carry my news. I don’t want you to carry it. Don’t carry news from this church.

You know what they do? They will carry news and incite other bloggers. And some of you in this church are part of it. They plant you inside the church, and instead of you listening to the message and getting blessed, you now pick one thing and twist, say what I didn’t say.

My gospel is before you slap, I slap you. I am not that kind of pastor. Young man, I will fight you.”

Reacting to this, Deji Adeyanju reminded everyone that even Jesus was criticized, but he was never locked up for it. He said Pastor Ibiyeomie has no right to threaten people with arrest just because they speak out.

This incident raises important questions about freedom of speech and the right to criticize public figures, including religious leaders. Everyone should be able to express their views without fear of being arrested or threatened.

Read Adeyanju’s reaction and also watch the trending video of the cleric below…