by Ihechukwu Njoku | Freelance Journalist
A member of Nigeria’s dreaded Boko Haram sect confessed in a popular Lagos church today, revealing how the terrorist group planned to plant a bomb within the church premises.
The incident took place at The Synagogue, Church Of All Nations (SCOAN), a large multicultural church headed by popular Pastor T.B. Joshua.
The revelation came from a man named ‘Mustapha’ who claimed Boko Haram was a cult into which he was initiated. He stated that he came to the church last week with four accomplices and a bomb hidden within a bag.
According to Mustapha, who spoke publicly in the church service which was telecast live via Christian television station Emmanuel TV, “We dropped at the junction opposite the church. There was a man who used to sell sweets, soap and cigarettes near there. I met the man and asked him to help me keep the bag I was carrying. It contained our instruments – bombs – to destroy people.”
However, Mustapha said the local trader refused to collect the bag and the group sat down to eat. “Our plan was to take souls, to destroy at this Synagogue Church,” he said.
According to him, they planned to leave the bomb, which has a timing device, within the church premises and then immediately leave.
However, at a restaurant opposite the popular church in Lagos, Mustapha recounted a strange incident. “We were watching the television and discussing. It was Emmanuel TV and I saw T.B. Joshua preaching to people”.
Mustapha, who had never attended church before, said when Joshua started praying, as part of the usual telecasts, the insurgents felt immediately uncomfortable. “That was when confusion came between us and everybody scattered,” he added.
According to the Boko Haram member, he was ‘haunted’ and restless ever since this incident. He said he would see Pastor Joshua in his dreams warning him not to return to the sect.
“Any time I lie down, I will be seeing you (T.B. Joshua) in my dream,” he told the pastor. “I don’t sleep in the night. You are disturbing me. You keep praying for me. I cannot close my eyes without seeing you. Please, help me.”
Later in the service, Joshua prayed for the young man, stating that it was an ‘evil spirit’ that propelled him to join the sect. “My mission is to separate him from the spirit that is controlling him to do that. We are not to fight mere flesh and blood,” he stated.
As T.B. Joshua prayed, the Boko Haram member was seen falling violently on the floor and then vomitting. A tattoo of a scorpion was shown on his shoulder, which he explained was an identifying feature of the cult members.
Mustapha subsequently confessed that he was part of the insurgents that attacked a military airbase in north-eastern Nigeria in early December, destroying two helicopters, as well as the attack on Michika town in Adamawa recently which led to nearly 40 deaths.
After the prayer, Mustapha got up from the floor and began to cry. “The spirit leading him to kill is gone,” Joshua declared to applause from the onlookers. The young man was then away from the public.
T.B. Joshua is a well known name, particularly in Africa where he is said to be among the 50 most influential people. His church owns a Christian television station called Emmanuel TV, has almost 1,000,000 followers on Facebook and regularly receives influential African politicians and celebrities to its services.
