Founder of Living Faith Church Worldwide, Bishop David Oyedepo, stirred fresh controversy after asking members to hand his phone number to abductors if they are kidnapped.

He said he has the spiritual authority to secure their release.

Speaking during a service at Canaanland, the cleric told worshippers not to panic in the face of abduction but to direct kidnappers to contact him.

“If anybody picks you, give them my number,” he told the congregation in a sermon that later circulated widely on social media.

The comment, delivered in a message tagged #SupersonicSunday, quickly gained traction online, drawing attention amid persistent concerns over kidnapping across the country.

Oyedepo anchored the unusual instruction on what he described as previous interventions involving abducted church members.

Recounting one incident, he said a pastor linked to the church was kidnapped and the abductors allowed communication with him.

According to him, he warned the kidnappers to release the victim or face death within 24 hours, after which the captive was freed.

In another account, he spoke of a female church member who, while in captivity, declared by faith she would regain freedom by 7am.

He claimed the woman was later released after what he described as unusual developments among her captors.

The cleric said such experiences were evidence that his members possessed spiritual authority over fear and violence.

“You have been raised far above the devil,” he said, while urging members to confront threats with faith rather than terror.

Oyedepo further maintained that members of the church carry the same spiritual force and should learn to exercise it.

His remarks come at a time when kidnapping for ransom remains a major security challenge in parts of Nigeria, with religious leaders, traditional rulers and communities increasingly speaking on the crisis.

While the sermon was delivered as a message of faith and confidence to worshippers, its viral circulation has placed it at the center of public discussion over insecurity and the role of religious conviction in confronting violent crime. (Daily Trust)

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