Taraba Government links cleric’s arrest to inflammatory statements

2026-02-25 - 12:26

....Security Agencies Acted to Protect Public Safety, Says State By Femi Bolaji JALINGO — The Taraba State Government has defended the arrest of Rev. Bazel Yoila, saying his public statements posed a serious threat to peace and public order. In a statement, the State Commissioner for Information and Re-Orientation, Zainab Jalingo, said security operatives acted solely to safeguard public safety. Jalingo also criticized Bishop Emeritus John Wesley Yohanna, who had condemned the arrest, noting that he overlooked the provocative nature of the cleric’s rhetoric. She referenced a viral video in which Rev. Yoila reportedly threatened violence, saying: “...the state will be on fire” should the government continue with the reconciliation process within the United Methodist Church in Nigeria (UMCN). Jalingo emphasized that such statements, regardless of platform or intent, represent a serious risk to public peace and cannot be ignored. She reiterated that the ongoing reconciliation within the UMCN is a neutral, inclusive, and peace-building initiative, aimed at preventing internal church disputes from escalating into communal unrest. “Any attempt to derail this process through threats or inflammatory rhetoric is unacceptable and will be met with the full weight of the law,” she said. Vanguard reports that a joint security team arrested Rev. Yoila and handed him over to the Department of State Services for further investigation. His wife and legal counsel were invited to witness his interview and the documentation of his voluntarily given statement. The state government confirmed that the matter is now before a court of competent jurisdiction and urged all stakeholders to respect the judicial process.