*Pastor reacts, says church has never used NAFDAC’s name to deceive the public
The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control has alerted Nigerians to the activities of a faith-based Organisation, Christ Mercy Land Delivery Ministries, led by Prophet Jeremiah Fufeyin, using the Agency’s name to deceive the unsuspecting Public.
This is as the church, in a statement posted by its pastor, Jeremiah Omoto Fufeyin, on his Facebook page, noted that the ministry is a law-abiding institution guided by the Nigerian constitution and that its spiritual products are part of religious beliefs
NAFDAC, in a statement on Sunday signed by its Director General, Prof Mojisola Adeyeye, noted that none of the Products advertised and sold are registered with the Agency.
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It said, “NAFDAC wishes to alert the Public on the activities of a faith-based Organization – Christ Mercy Land Delivery Ministries – that uses NAFDAC name to deceive the unsuspecting Public.
“Recently, NAFDAC has been inundated with petitions from concerned Citizens about Senior Prophet Jeremiah Omoto Fufeyin of Christ Mercy Land Delivery Ministries, Km 5 Effurun, Sapele Road, Delta State, on a Miracle Water and Miracle Soap being advertised with healing and miracle claims and sold to unsuspecting Members of the Public by the Spiritual Ministry.
The Minister showcased the use of Miracle Water and Miracle Soap on Social Media to heal barrenness.
He claimed that the Women would carry Twins if they used the Soap. He openly told his Congregation that the Soap is NAFDAC registered. Thus, the Public began to visit the Office to confirm the claims.
“The Petitioners also submitted the following products from the Spiritual Ministry to NAFDAC to verify the bogus claims. The products are Miracle & Healing Water, River Jordan Water, the Miracle Water from The Pool of Bethsaida, A New Beginning Mount Camel Miracle Water, Water of Life, Miracle Water from The Pool of Bethsaida (1L), A New Beginning Pool of Bethsaida Water, and Father Smelled Perfume.”
The Agency stated that upon receipt of the petitions, it contacted the Delta State Coordinator, through the Director Post Marketing Surveillance of the Agency, to ascertain the existence or records of any transaction with the Christ Mercy Land Deliverance Ministries and the products in Delta State Office.
“The Coordinator was also directed to visit the Ministry to establish the veracity of the claims in the petitions and take necessary regulatory action on the production facility in the Ministry where the Miracle water and other Products are produced.
The State Coordinator covertly bought the Miracle Water (25cl) for N3000 from the Ministries and took the Pictures.
“On Wednesday, August 14th 2024, the State Coordinator Delta State visited the Mercy Land Ministry and met the Head of Service – Mr. Ogunleye Fufeyin and the Chief Security Officer.
The Officials denied producing Miracle and Healing Water or Soap even with the evidence of the receipt of purchase.
He claimed that only the Logo and Address on the Label were theirs but not the Product.
The HOS added that they only have a Pool of Bethsaida Water, which is spiritual and artificial.
The HOS requested time to meet with other Staff and returned. He returned after 30 minutes and refused to cooperate, asking them to see the CSO.
“On August 27th 2024, a Team of Investigation and Enforcement NAFDAC and Federal Task Force on Counterfeit and Fake Drugs and Unwholesome Processed Foods visited the Ministry to commence investigation on the place of purchase or the manufacturing site for possible sample collection, for Laboratory analysis, but the Officials did not cooperate with the team.
Letters of invitation were issued to the Officials to report on August 28th, but it was not honoured.
The Company instead submitted a Legal Document at NAFDAC Headquarters Abuja on August 28th, 2024 and asked to come back on September 3rd, 2024, to organise their Document before coming.
The Agency then gave the Prophet till the 29th to report to the investigation and Enforcement NAFDAC Office Asaba for further necessary investigation.
“Investigation and Enforcement Asaba waited for the Christ Mercy Land Delivery Ministries Officials based on their earlier request to report for commencement of the investigation, but they still refused to show up.
On September 3rd, 2024, they forwarded some Documents instead of asking for more time to report,” it explained.
It added that in a Document made available to the NAFDAC Office on the evening of September 3rd, the faith Organisation claimed to have entered into a production contract agreement with Globod Table Water Km 4, DSC Expressway, Otokutu, Delta State, without the knowledge of NAFDAC State Office in Delta State.
The Agency stated that the act is illegal according to the extant rules and regulations on commercial production.
“In continuation of our investigation, NAFDAC Investigation and Enforcement has sealed the Globod Table Water Factory to aid and abet the production, sale, and advertisement of unregistered and unwholesome Miracle Water under the pretext of Fake NAFDAC Registration Number.
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“At this point, it is very clear that Christ Mercy Land Delivery Ministries, KM 5, is not ready to present itself for investigation of production and advertisement of suspected falsified, unwholesome, and unregistered miracle Products.
“NAFDAC wishes to inform the Public that none of these Products being advertised and sold are registered with NAFDAC.
The Public is also being advised to stop patronizing any of these Miracle products. NAFDAC is scientific Organization that is guided by verifiable scientific facts before registering any Product.
“In the meantime, we will continue with our investigation into the activities of this faith Organization with regard to Products within our mandates that have been reported to be manufactured and sold by them.
I want to use this opportunity to warn faith Organizations against illegal production of regulated Products without requisite regulatory requirements,” it added.
Adeyeye, however, assured Nigerians of the Agency’s resolve to continue safeguarding their health.
The Punch
Miracle water, soap: Nigerian pastor reacts to NAFDAC’s allegations
Delta State-based church, the Christ Mercy Land Deliverance Ministries, has responded to the recent allegations by the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC).
NAFDAC announced on Sunday that it is investigating the church for its wide-ranging “miracle” products sold to the public after receiving a petition from concerned citizens regarding their activities.
The agency claims that its name has been used by the church and its pastor, Jeremiah Omoto, to deceive unsuspecting members of the public, by falsely claiming that their products, including “miracle” water and soap, are NAFDAC-registered.
Church reacts
Meanwhile, the church in a statement posted by Mr Omoto on his Facebook page, noted that the ministry is a law-abiding institution guided by the Nigerian constitution and that its spiritual products are part of religious beliefs.
“As a Christian association, we are guided by Sections 39 and 38 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, which guarantees all Christians and our Church the Right to freedom of religion without interference whatsoever in this regard.
“It is sequel to that, as a church we have been operating and guided by the tenets of our faith and biblical injunctions in the holy bible in this regard. We have been using certain spiritual items in the expression of our religious beliefs,” the church noted.
The church noted that its pastor, Mr Omoto has never used NAFDAC’s name to deceive innocent members of the public, describing such claims as “purely unfounded in facts and narratives.”
Petition, fake receipts
The church said that the only petition filed against it was by Martins Otse, popularly known as Verydarkblackman, who called the church out for allegedly deceiving people with “miracle water and soap.”
The church said it has since sued Mr Otse before the FCT high court on sundry allegations and matters.
On NAFDAC invitation, the church said: “As a law-abiding organisation, we did officially as an organisation write to NAFDAC headquarters office, Abuja on the short less than 12 hours’ time frame given to us to appear and by an official letter communicated our position in this matter to NAFDAC and then also sent another subsequent letter to NAFDAC.”
It added that its Head of Administration, Oguluoa Fufeyin, the concerned contractor to the church, Globod Table Water, and its legal representatives honoured the invitation of NAFDAC on 2 September at its Asaba headquarters office.
The church also claimed that: “The supposed nominal complainant to NAFDAC Asaba office forged the Church receipts to clothe himself with the right to bring a complaint before the NAFDAC office in this regard.
“We also wish to state that presently there is an ongoing police investigation of certain receipts that has indicted the nominal complainants to NAFDAC office, which same receipts is presumed to have been forged and used falsely in procuring the now investigated spiritual items by NAFDAC office.”
NAFDAC investigation
As part of its investigation, NAFDAC said it has “sealed Globod Table Water factory for aiding and abetting the production, sale and advertisement of unregistered and unwholesome Miracle Water under the pretext of fake NAFDAC Registration Number.”
In a statement on Sunday signed by its Director General, Mojisola Adeyeye, NAFDAC said none of the products advertised and sold is registered with the agency as claimed by Mr Omoto.
Therefore, it advised the public to stop patronising any of the products while it continued investigating the organisation’s activities concerning products reported to have been manufactured and sold by it.
