David Oyedepo has stirred reactions after urging church members to give abductors his phone number if kidnapped, saying he is confident in his spiritual authority to intervene.
TRENDING VIDEO: ‘Give Kidnappers My Phone Number If You’re Abducted,’ Living Faith Church Founder Oyedepo Tells Worshippers pic.twitter.com/C7fdF0PrIz
— Sahara Reporters (@SaharaReporters) April 24, 2026
Founder of Living Faith Church Worldwide, David Oyedepo, has told members of his congregation to give abductors his phone number if they are ever kidnapped, saying they should not panic but rely on what he described as spiritual authority. Oyedepo made the remark during a church service while recounting past alleged abduction incidents involving church members, in a video of the sermon that has since gone viral on social media.
Referencing a past case involving a pastor linked to the church who was reportedly abducted, the cleric said, “One time one of our pastors was carried by kidnappers, I said give him the phone. I said in 24 hours if you don’t check him out you are dead. The place was vibrating on a spot.” He further told worshippers, “If anybody picks you, give them my number. If he is not cut down then I am not sent by God. You carry the same force if you can only discover it. You need to discover what you carry.”
The remarks have continued to generate reactions online since the video surfaced, with discussions centering on faith, security and the country’s kidnapping crisis. Nigeria has faced persistent cases of abduction in recent years, making the issue a sensitive national concern, while Oyedepo’s comments have added to ongoing public discourse around insecurity and religious responses to it.
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