Nigerian Human Rights Community on Tuesday chided the Nobel Laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka, over comment against Pastor TB Joshua of Synagogue Church of All Nation.
Soyinka is said to have at a book launch said that Joshua should have been tried by a law court over the collapse his church building some years ago.
In response to this, the right group in a statement, said that the Professor should have been armed with good information before making such a statement.
“The trial has been ongoing. The persecutors and the defense lawyers have been arguing their cases in the law court. As we speak, Pastor Joshua and his Church have not been found guilty by the law court. We do not understand what other trial the learned Professor is talking about” the NHRC said in a statement signed by its officials, Taye Adeleye and Mark Eke Alozie.
“We find the position of the Professor Soyinka strange. We wish to remind him that the court in Lagos has been prosecuting this case including using the evidence provided by witnesses”, the NHRC said.
According to the group, there are witnesses who said they sighted a flying object a few minutes before the collapse of the building.
“These objects could be a drone or light helicopter, the group said, adding that it is left for the court, not an individual, to investigate and come up with solutions.
The group said given the current state of banditry and violence, those who claimed they sighted a flying object may be correct.
It said Prof Soyinka should be aware that terrorists in Nigeria use drone and this did not start today.
The NHRC said “Pastor Joshua is not above the law. That was why he has been taken to court. What we oppose is what looks like a sectarian plot to draw conclusions even when the legal processes are yet to be concluded. This raises the public fear that Pastor Joshua is a target of some influential individuals based on personal interests. They want to destroy him and all the good work he has been doing especially meeting the needs of the people when relevant authorities have failed.”