The General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Pastor Enoch Adeboye, has broken his silence on the arrest of fast-rising TikToker Olumide ‘Sea King’ Ogunsanwo.
It was earlier reported that the Nigerian police in Lagos re-arrested Sea King when he appeared for a separate trial at a magistrate’s court.
According to Premium Times , his rearrest is linked to allegations of cyberbullying against Pastor Adeboye following the cleric’s remarks about church members’ 100-day fast.
Speaking on the TikToker’s rearrest during Friday’s February Holy Ghost service at the auditorium in Simawa, Ogun State, the 82-year-old cleric stated that he did not authorise Sea King’s arrest.
He urged those who arrested the TikToker on his behalf to release him.
He reminded the congregation that he had told them that God had declared that mockers of the divine would grow louder and more aggressive this year.
He said: “He (God) told us at the beginning of this year that mockers would become more active, bolder, and continue to mock. I heard there is someone who thoroughly lambasted me. What is my offence? Because I told my people to fast for one hundred days, and I didn’t ask them to fast. I didn’t even ask anyone, not a Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) member, to fast.
“Only my children (church members) were those I asked to fast. God said it would happen. I was told that some people got so angry that they went to arrest the fellow. Please, release him. He is fulfilling the prophecy. For my children (church members), there is glory ahead.”
Background
Sea King was initially arrested in December 2024 for allegedly insulting President Bola Tinubu and Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu in widely circulated social media videos.
The TikToker was in court facing charges of treason, cyberstalking, and conduct likely to cause a breach of peace when he was re-arrested.
Inibehe Effiong, Sea King’s lawyer, confirmed his rearrest in a statement on his verified X handle, stating that he was taken to Murtala Muhammed Airport, where he was flown to Abuja.
Mr Effiong called on the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, to intervene and end police operatives’ blatant abuse of due process. He also demanded Sea King’s immediate release.
Meanwhile, rights activist Omoyele Sowore condemned the TikToker’s rearrest in a post on X, linking the police crackdown to his recent social media post about police corruption.
Mr Sowore, a former presidential candidate, similarly urged the police to release the TikToker immediately and stop harassing Nigerians with cybercrime allegations.
This newspaper reported that he was arrested on 20 December and taken to court, where the police sought a 30-day remand order from the magistrate.
However, the court rejected the application and instead granted him bail in the sum of N500,000 with two sureties in like sum.
He was set to be released on bail when he was re-arrested
