Punch Columnist Released After COZA Arrest Ordeal

A columnist with Punch newspaper, Abimbola Adelakun, has been released after she was briefly held up for questioning by security men at the Commonwealth of Zion Assembly (COZA) in Abuja.

Adelakun attended the church’s service this morning as she continued her research on the senior pastor of the church, Biodun Fatoyinbo, who is currently enmeshed in a rape scandal. However the church security men identified her as a journalist and took her to a holding room for questionning.

She had published a column at the back page of Punch newspapers on July 4th with the title “What Does Mrs. Fatoyinbo Know”. The article, which examined the rape allegations against Pastor Biodun Fatoyinbo, was illustrated with the cartoon of a man desecrating the bible with urine. The cartoon was greeted with backlash from readers, ultimately leading to the firing of the editor of the paper’s daily title, Martin Ayankola.

In a tweet she posted this afternoon, Adelakun said the security agents refused her demand to leave after identifying her. She disclosed that she has since reported the incident to a police station in Abuja.

Her tweet reads

“I’m aware of the info abt my arrest at COZA today. I wasn’t arrested. Earlier, I sent out an image bcos I was concerned when pulled aside by the protocol dept for questioning. Thanks to everyone who has been concerned about me. I am sorry for all the misinformation out there.”

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