Dreaded CIO ‘abducts’ Nigerian pastors

via Dreaded CIO ‘abducts’ Nigerian pastors – NewZimbabwe 6 October 2015

HE dreaded Central Intelligence Organisation (CIO) was Tuesday accused of “abducting” two Nigerian churchmen who are in the country as an advance party for self-styled “God’s Oracle” Chris Okafor.

Okafor had dispatched from Nigeria about seven members of his church to Zimbabwe to make preparations for his grand arrival for a conference convened by a local cleric Joseph Magorimbo.

Five of the Nigerians were reportedly deported on arrival early Sunday morning but the other two who arrived on a different flight were allowed into the country following a court order obtained by Magorimbo’s lawyer Jonathan Samkange.

But the authorities late Monday reportedly took in Magorimbo and the two foreigners who had been granted entry and “questioned them for hours”.

Samkange who is in Namibia confirmed through one of his aides that “state security agents had quizzed Magorimbo and the two foreigners”.

“Yes we have been told that Magorimbo and the two Nigerian Pastors were to the immigration department headquarters and questioned until midnight yesterday (Monday).

“About nine people questioned them and accused Magorimbo of trying to smuggle into the country a Nigerian Pastor who had made a negative prophesy about the President (Robert Mugabe),” Samkange said.

He said he had inquired with Assistant Regional Immigration Officer in charge of Compliance and Enforcement, Francis Mabika as to what the problem was.

“He told me it was not him and he had no say as to what was happening.

“My clients told me they had been threatened and in fact we do not know where the Nigerians are because when Magorimbo was released the two foreigners were taken away in a truck and their whereabouts are unknown. We can only speculate,” Samkange said.

Okafor leader of the Liberation City Chris Okafor World Outreach Ministries has, according to Samkange, cancelled the trip following the threats and clear indications he would not be allowed into the country.

According to media reports, High Court Judge November Mtshiya early Sunday granted Magorimbo and the two Nigerians a provisional order allowing them unfettered entry into the country but immigration authorities reportedly declared they would defy the order.

Samkange on Tuesday accused Mabika of being in contempt of court.

“The High Court granted an order in Mabika’s presence and he is now defying a lawful order of the courts. It is called contempt,” the Zanu PF legislator said.

It could not be established what prophesy Okafor had made that could have angered authorities but many African “prophets” have at one time or another made predictions relating to Mugabe’s death or departure from power.