United Kingdom-based Prophet, Tomi Arayomi has taken to social media to relive his experience in the hands of agents of the Department of State Services (DSS), who whisked him, his wife, Prophetess Tahmar, and his aide away on Good Friday in Abuja.
Arayomi, the founder of RIG Nation and Pioneer Church was in the country with his wife to minister at an Easter weekend programme at the Abuja branch of the church.
Last Friday, his twin brother, Tobi raised an alarm that the couple and their aide were whisked away by DSS operatives for reasons not known, calling the global community to demand their release by the Nigerian government.
Hours later, Tobi confirmed that the couple had been released by the secret police but the aide was still being held in custody with no explanations provided.
Confirming the incident through his verified Instagram account, the celebrity preacher said their pictures, fingerprints, and data were collected, adding that they were locked in a room without knowledge of the grounds of their arrest.
He wrote: “Prophetess Tahmar and I would like to express our gratitude for all your prayers and international support during Friday’s ordeal with the DSS. We can confirm that on Good Friday 7th April, we arrived at Abuja to visit one of our branches when we were picked up by about six armed agents who did not identify themselves as DSS or any law enforcement agency.
“My wife, myself, and my aide were forced to surrender our mobile phones and enter the vehicles where we were taken at considerable speed to what we later learned was DSS HQ. The officers, some of who wore balaclavas were not immediately recognisable as DSS.
“Our pictures were taken, fingerprints and data collected and we were locked inside a room with no real knowledge as to the grounds for our arrest. After a lengthy interrogation, it appears media and social media pressure forced DSS to release my wife and I.
“My aide remains under DSS custody and thus far, DSS has been elusive as to his exact whereabouts. We will not divulge the particulars of the investigation at this point as we are still awaiting the safe release of my aide.
“Out of concern for my young children and my wife’s wellbeing, we made the unfortunate decision to leave Nigeria abruptly. This decision did not come lightly but with considerable prayer and counsel from our board, trustees, colleagues in the ministry, and respective families.
“I can confirm that we are safe and will continue to work and pray for a new Nigeria. We remain resolute that we will return to the nation that we have grown to call our home but for now, we will continue to press, pray and give God no rest until Nigeria becomes a praise in the earth. We did not come to Nigeria under any illusion of comfort.
“We came to serve the Lord, fully aware of the danger. We want you to know that Tahmar and I remain strong and unwavering in our commitment to Nigeria and the many great leaders we have encountered during our time there. We want to thank every leader and friend who reached out, called, texted, posted.
“We are so grateful. This is not goodbye. This is see you soon! In a new and better Nigeria”.
Efforts to get reaction from the DSS proved abortive as spokesman, Dr Peter Afunnaya, neither answered his mobile phone nor replied to a text message sent to him.
