First Baptist church not involved in N5m Rice supply saga – President

By Stanley Onyekwere

The President, Nigerian Baptist Convention, Rev. Dr Israel Akanji has dissociated the church from any involvement in a purported rice business transaction with any supplier in the sum of five million Naira.
Akanji made this assertion, yesterday while briefing journalists at the Church headquarters in Garki, on the alleged involvement of the church in the raging controversies trailing the said business transaction.
He however, insisted that the church was not involved in rice supply transaction business with any person or supplier, and will never be part of crooked arrangement.
According to him, “one Emmanuel claimed that he was asked by the church to supply rice, and went to the media claiming that he had made the supply worth five million and the church only paid him five hundred thousand as part of the money.
“Last Friday I recieved a call from a radio station in Abuja, asking me whether my church or I had a rice transaction with one man, Emmanuel. According to Brekete Radio that called me, that the man say he supply rice to our church but we refused to pay him.
“Sometime in May this year, one man came to our church here, that he was looking for one pastor Philips, that he asked him to supply rice which he did and it worth M5 million. I then called all the pastors outside but he didn’t identify the pastor he claimed among them.
“There is no how the church will enter into rice transaction without any written agreement or document backing it, again the church transactions are done in the public and within its premises.”
He continues: “I asked the man where he supply the rice, he say it was in Dei-Dei under the bridge, later again he claimed that he supply it at a store somewhere, it is very clear that the man was duped by fraudsters and not the church”
The President who is also the senior pastor of First Baptist church, Garki in Abuja, said the activities of the church are open, and always being carried out within church premises.