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The Taraba State Government has defended the arrest of Reverend Bazel Yoila by the Department of State Services, DSS, dismissing allegations of impropriety and condemning what it described as inflammatory comments capable of inciting unrest.
In a statement issued on Wednesday by the Commissioner for Information and Re-Orientation, Barrister Zainab Usman Jalingo, the government said it was compelled to respond to publications and social media commentary suggesting that the arrest was unjustified.
The government maintained that security agencies acted proactively in the interest of public peace and responsible civic engagement.
The statement also criticized comments made by John Wesley, identified as Bishop Emeritus, who publicly faulted the Taraba State DSS Command over the arrest.
“It was troubling that while condemning the security agencies, the cleric did not address what it described as highly inflammatory and reckless remarks allegedly made by Rev. Yoila in a viral video,” the statement read.
In the video, Rev. Yoila was reportedly heard warning that “the state will be on fire” if the government continued with a reconciliation process within the United Methodist Church in Nigeria (UMCN).
The state government said such statements amounted to a serious threat to public order and could not be ignored.
Officials emphasized that the reconciliation process within the UMCN was initiated in good faith as a peace-building measure.
The government said its involvement has been neutral and aimed solely at preventing internal church disputes from escalating into wider communal tensions.
“Any attempt to derail this process through threats or inflammatory rhetoric is unacceptable and will be met with the full weight of the law,” the statement said.
The government further noted that the matter is now before a court of competent jurisdiction and urged all parties to refrain from actions or commentary that could interfere with ongoing judicial proceedings. It reiterated its commitment to respecting the rule of law and the independence of the judiciary.
The state also called on media organizations and commentators to verify information from credible sources before publication, warning that sensational or one-sided reporting could undermine efforts to maintain peace in the state.
