Department for State Security invites fiery clergyman Father Mbaka to Abuja for questioning

MORE trouble is brewing across the southeast geo-political zone after Nigeria's Department for State Security (DSS) invited fiery clergyman Reverend Father Ejike Mbaka for questioning raising the prospect of youth unrest.

Last month, Reverend Father Mbaka disappeared for 24 hours because he was detained by the Enugu Catholic bishop Most Reverend  Callistus Onaga for criticising President Muhammadu Buhari. Reverend Mbaka, the spiritual director of the Adoration Ministry in Enugu, had called on President Muhammadu Buhari to resign because God is angry with him over the widespread killing of innocent people across Nigeria.

His disappearance created widespread tension in Enugu, forcing Bishop Onaga to allow him to go after seeing the protests that ensued. Once word got out that Reverend Mbaka was detained by the bishop, his parishioners marched to the Bishop’s Court where they destroyed properties and also at the Holy Ghost Cathedral.

Yesterday, the matter flared up again after Reverend Mbaka revealed during his Sunday sermon at the Enugu Adoration ground that he had been invited by the DSS to report to Abuja. Immediately, the  Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth Council (OYC) warned against what it called another onslaught against the clergyman.

OYC president Mazi Okwu Nnabuike, said: “I condemn the invitation because it is a plan by the federal government to silence Father Mbaka. Whoever speaks without supporting the government they now come for the person, just like they banned Twitter.

“The DSS has no reason to invite Mbaka. This same Mbaka prophesied the emergence of Buhari but he was not invited by DSS then, however, now that he is talking about the state of the nation, hunger and killings in the land, the DSS came to invite him.

“We warn that any plot against Mbaka must be resisted by Igbo youths, let nothing happen to him, as this onslaught against a revered priest in Igbo land should stop forthwith.  The bishop should cease from trying to silence Mbaka, who has been talking under two past bishops Eneja and Gbuji but they did not disturb him.

"We are in the know that the federal government is on the neck of Bishop Onaga to silence Father Mbaka. They want Father Mbaka banned and sent out of the Catholic Church but they must know that the physical cannot control the spiritual. Mbaka should continue to prophesy to the world, those who don’t have such a gift are just envious of him."

Yesterday, Reverend Father Mbaka resumed his adoration ministry after serving a 30-day ban but despite a directive from the head of his diocese, Bishop Calistus Onaga, the priest still delved into political matters. Part of conditions for him to re-open the his ministry was that he should stay away from politics.