21st June, 2011
A man, Abdullahi Muhammad, was yesterday arraigned before Ejigbo Magistrate’s Court in Lagos State and charged with attempt to stab Prophet Temitope Balogun Joshua of Synagogue Church of All Nations, Egbe, Lagos State, Southwest, Nigeria.
Muhammad was alleged to have smuggled a jack-knife inside the church during the church service and attempted to stab Prophet Joshua.
The 33- year old Muhammad was alleged to have moved from his seat and was heading towards the pulpit to stab Prophet Joshua while he was conducting a deliverance service before he was stopped by the security men in the church.
The security men held him and collected the knife from him before handing him over to the security officers at Ikotun Police Station.
The knife retrieved from him was brought to the court by the police as exhibit.
The motive behind Muhammad’s action was not yet known. But there was an apprehension by the shocked church members over what happened. Some expressed their fears that Muhammad might have been sent to assassinate the popular prophet known for his philanthropic gestures.
This fear stemmed from the fact that Muhammed claimed to have come from Borno State where Boko Haram is notorious for their violent attacks. He was also found with an Islamic prayer beads (tesbih) which made the police to suspect that he was not a Christian.
When P.M.NEWS spoke with Muhammad during a chat outside the court, he admitted an attempt to stab T B Joshua but claimed that he did not know what came over him. He said T B Joshua had assisted him in the past but he could not explain why he wanted to stab him.
The police arraigned him before the Ejigbo Magistrate’s Court presided over by Mrs. M. B. Folami.
The prosecutor, Oladejo Balogun, said his act was contrary and purnishable under section 508 and 509 of the Criminal Code 2003.
Part of the charge reads: “That you Abdullahi Muhammed on the same date, time and place did attempt to stab Prophet T. B. Joshua while the service was on.â€
When the charge was read to him, the defendant pleaded not guilty.
He was granted bail in the sum of N20,000 with one surety in like sum.
The matter was adjourned till 20 July, 2011 for mention.
—Cyriacus Izuekwe