The Senior Prophet of Christ Mercyland Deliverance Ministry through their Mercyland Television debunked the allegations published by Punch News and Vanguard News online platforms as being false.
Punch online news over the weekend reported that, “the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has uncovered a sinister plot by a faith-based organization, Christ MercyLand Deliverance Ministries, led by Prophet Jeremiah Omoto to allegedly deceive unsuspecting Nigerians with fake miracle water and soap” and that, ”NAFDAC issued a warning to Nigerians regarding the activities of the faith-based organization for using the agency’s name to deceive the public”. The church is dismayed by this report.
As stated by Adeyeye, that upon receipt of the petitions, it contacted the Delta State Coordinator through the Director, Post Marketing Surveillance of the agency to ascertain the existence or records of any transaction with the Christ Mercy Land Deliverance Ministries and the products in Delta State Office. Whereas on Wednesday, August 14th, 2024, a group of people visited Christ Mercyland Deliverance Ministry on enquiry for search of the ministry’s spiritual products. The church asked them for NAFDAC “Search Warrant and identification”, but they could not make that available for access. Access was denied for security reasons and to avoid identification theft.
On this note, Christ Mercyland Deliverance Ministry wishes to inform members of the public that the above story by Punch and Vanguard news online do not entirely represent the fact and real narratives of Christ Mercyland Deliverance Ministry and its investigation or dealings with NAFDAC in this regard hence, stated as follows:That Christ Mercyland Deliverance Ministry is a law-abiding Christian association that recognizes the extant laws of the land and even the NAFDAC act in this regard. The church also disagreed with NAFDAC report saying, “At this point, it is obvious that Christ Mercy Land Deliverance Ministry, KM 5, is not ready to present itself for investigation of production and advertisement of suspected falsified, unwholesome, and unregistered Miracle products”. As contained in a Press Release by the church “Our legal representatives and Global Table Water honored the invitation of NAFDAC on Thursday, 2nd September 2024, in this regard at their Asaba branch Office. Statement were taken under caution and the Church representatives cooperated with the officers and subordinates of Deputy Director in charge of Investigation & Enforcement Directorate/Federal Taskforce on Counterfeit and Fake Drugs and Unwholesome Processed Food (Delta State, NAFDAC Office) located in Plot 114 Airport Road, Opposite NUT Estate, Asaba, Delta State, investigating this matter on behalf of NAFDAC and the Church representatives were then released and asked to report on 10th September 2024, for further investigation in this matter.
“As a Christian Association, we are guided by Section 39 and 38 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, that guarantees all Christians and our Church the Right to freedom of religion without interference whatsoever in this regard. It is sequel to that, as a church we have been operating and guided by the tenets of our faith and biblical injunctions in the Holy Bible in this regard. We have been using certain spiritual items and mantles in expression of our religious beliefs” the church declared.
In reaction to an online story by Punch, the church said, “we wish to state that Christ Mercyland Deliverance Ministry was fully aware that the only pending petition against our church is the one by Mr. Martins Vincent Otse (alias Verydarkblackman), who the church has since sued before the FCT High Court Abuja, on sundry allegations and other related matters. However, the church was in receipt of a letter dated the 27th of August 2024, from NAFDAC, extending an invitation to the spiritual Head of the Church on the Church miracle, healing and spiritual items by the NAFDAC, Asaba office, with the full designation as referenced on this letter”.
They further explained that “It’s quite unfortunate that as a law-abiding organization, we officially wrote to the NAFDAC Headquarters Office, Abuja, on the short notice of 12-hours given to us to appear and, by an official letter, communicated our position in this matter to NAFDAC and then also sent another letter to NAFDAC. We also bring to the fore and knowledge of NAFDAC that the supposed nominal complainant to the NAFDAC, Asaba office, forges the Church’s receipts to clothe himself with the right to bring a complaint before the NAFDAC office in this regard. All these issues and narratives as stated above, the church wrote to the NAFDAC Office, and we clearly wish to state that NAFDAC is yet to write to Christ Mercyland Deliverance Ministry or give feedback on these issues to the church or our legal Representative”.
Also, in the church Press Release “there is an ongoing Police Investigation of certain receipts that indicted the nominal complainants to NAFDAC Office, which same receipts is presumed to have been forged and same used falsely in procuring the now investigated spiritual items by NAFDAC Office. That the nominal complainants’ receipts are different from the position in the actual receipt booklet and receipts in the custody of the church, the dates on the receipt are clearly and obviously altered different from church client official receipts”.
Finally, the church urges members of the public to disregard the story by Punch and Vanguard news online which are simply false and unfounded, and an investigation by NAFDAC on Church’s activities is still ongoing on this matter.
