By Emmanuel Awari-Jalingo
The crisis in the United Methodist Church has taken a dramatic turn as the Nigerian Immigration Service has arrested and detained Bishop Eben K. Nhiwatiwa of the United Methodist Church in Zimbabwe, despite having all required documents.
According to a statement issued to SUMMIT POST, Bishop Nhiwatiwa arrived in Nigeria on August 21, 2024, to meet with members of the United Methodist Church in Nigeria (UMCN) to initiate the process of electing a new Bishop. However, he was whisked away by Nigerian Immigration officers on August 23, 2024, while attending a meeting in Yola, Adamawa state.
“We have interrogated Bishop Nhiwatiwa and found nothing wrong with his documents. I wonder why they need to send him back to Abuja for further questioning,” said Mr. Mathias Madugu, the Immigration Officer in charge. “His visa was processed here in Abuja, and if there’s an issue, a simple call would have clarified it. It seems something is amiss at the top.”
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Bishop Nhiwatiwa has been denied access to his medication and luggage and is currently being held at the Immigration headquarters guest house in Abuja, awaiting further directives.
The statement alleges that former Bishop John Wesley Yohanna, who resigned to join the Global Methodist Church (GMC), is responsible for Bishop Nhiwatiwa’s ordeal. “He is trying to frustrate the election of a new UMC Bishop in Nigeria to replace him,” the statement claims.
The situation has sparked diplomatic concerns, with a Zimbabwean national official reaching out to the Zimbabwean Embassy in Nigeria to initiate talks on the issue.