The retired Bishop of the Global Methodist Church of Nigeria (GMCN), Rev. John Wesley, has strongly condemned the arrest of Rev. Bazel Yoila by the Department of State Services (DSS) at his Jalingo residence in the early hours of Sunday.
Wesley described the operation as “unprofessional” and stressed that Rev. Yoila, like every Nigerian, deserved to be treated with dignity.
Residents near the cleric’s home said DSS operatives gained access through the perimeter fence around 2:23 am. Family members alleged that the operatives broke windows and forced their way into the house at gunpoint before taking Rev. Yoila away.
Mrs. Yoila recounted the terrifying ordeal, saying, “The children were screaming. We were terrified. It felt like kidnappers were entering.”
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On Monday, Rev. Yoila was arraigned before a Magistrate Court in Jalingo. The court remanded him at the Jalingo Correctional Centre after declining an oral bail application, pending review of the charges.
Sources indicate that the arrest may be connected to the ongoing dispute between the United Methodist Church of Nigeria (UMCN) and the GMCN. Rev. Yoila had recently criticized the Taraba State Government, accusing some officials of favoring one side in the church crisis.
As of now, the DSS has not released an official statement on the circumstances of the arrest.
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