Pastor T.B Joshua
Death toll in the building that collapsed on the premises of the Synagogue Church of All Nations last Friday has hit 49 as rescue operations are being intensified.
However, the Founder and General overseer of the Church located at Ikotun-Egbe, a suburb of Lagos State, Prophet Temitope Joushua, insists that it was a terror attack. He reiterated his earlier claim that terrorists are in Lagos and may strike at other places any time soon. He called for vigilance.
But despite his terror claim, there were strong hints that Lagos State government may come hard on the church for what an official called “structural negligence” on the part of those supervising the building of the multi-storey structure.
The building, a six-storey being raised to eight caved in while construction work was still in progress.
This left hundreds of workers and worshipers including foreigners trapped under the collapsed building.
Prophet TB Joshua, told his congregation on Sunday that he was the target of the attack, saying shortly before the building collapsed, a plane was sighted hovering at a close range over the mountain he just left and later over the church.
To buttress his claim, Prophet showed the video clip of event to the congregation as captured by the Church’s Close Circuit Television, CCTV.
According to him, “I received a phone call immediately I got here, just 10 minutes later when I was in the church, that there was a jet hovering over the mountain where I had just left. They said it was hovering at a close range.
“Before I knew it, I received another phone call that the same jet was now at the church hovering over the building, passing it four times at a very close range before the building collapsed.
“This environment at Ikotun Egbe, we have never witnessed an accident of a building collapse. This is a very stable terrain.
“I have been here for the past 30 years. I am pregnant with words, but we have left the security agencies to do their job. Let us believe and educate our people and be alive.”
“I know you will ask why the church? It is because of the spiritual blessings that God has bestowed upon us. A big head wears a large hat.
“Don’t forget about the Ebola issue too, it was God that rescued the church. Probably they would have dropped an Ebola patient inside the church, so that they would said, ‘there is an Ebola patient in the church, don’t go there.’
“They are trying to scare you from coming to church. Don’t be scared, you are not the target, I’m the target. I know my time has not yet come. I have not yet finished my job.
“I want to assure you that our God will get back at them and you will know when he gets back to them. May be this would be the end of the whole thing.”
Meanwhile, Governor Babatunde Raji Fashola on Sunday visited the scene, directing church staff to vacate the premises so that emergency workers could do their work.
This is coming as there are fears that many could still be trapped under the debris.
