The controversy surrounding the alleged herdsmen invasion of a Nasarawa crusade took a new twist on Wednesday after Evangelist Daniel Ukpo appeared in a fresh video retracting his earlier statement, saying no attack occurred. His reversal follows initial claims amplified by Apostle Michael Olowookere, who had alleged Ukpo was arrested and pressured after reporting the incident.
In the first video, Apostle Olowookere said on X that Evangelist Daniel Ukpo had been detained by police over a recording he posted from a crusade in Nasarawa where he claimed Fulani herdsmen disrupted the programme. He accused authorities of targeting the preacher while allowing violent criminal groups to operate freely online.
The Apostle said: “I have just been rightly informed that Evangelist Daniel Ukpo has been arrested by the Nigerian Police Force because of the video he posted about the incident that happened in the community in Nasarawa State… and then the Fulani herdsman attacked that community. I’ve watched that video… and that video was real.”
He criticised security agencies for allegedly neglecting violent actors while clamping down on a preacher who “only reported what was happening at that time,” adding that “we have become a useless society.”
Ukpo on the other hand, put up another video where he denied the claims, saying no herdsmen stormed the crusade and insisting he was neither arrested nor detained. Instead, he stated that he was only invited for clarification.
In the clip, Ukpo said:
“Bandits never invaded my crusade… It’s false…and I was never detained or arrested by the DSS. I was only called upon by the police for some information.”
Apostle Olowookere, reacting again on X, maintained that Ukpo’s new submission was made under pressure. Sharing the clip, he wrote that the evangelist was “manipulated and coerced” into denying the incident. He further shared earlier posts claiming Ukpo’s elder brother had pleaded with him to delete the video, which he refused, stating that he would keep speaking out.
He wrote: “Using state resources to harass and suppress those who confront the evil in the land will only breed more chaos. We will not be silenced!”
Meanwhile, the Nasarawa State Police Command issued an official statement countering reports of an attack, describing the viral video as “a gross misrepresentation of facts.” The command said no herdsmen invasion occurred, explaining instead that on November 24, a motorcyclist was attacked by unknown assailants, prompting security response in Agboda Village.
The police urged the public to avoid spreading unverified claims, warning that such reports may trigger unnecessary tension. Public Relations Officer SP Ramhan Nansel assured residents of ongoing efforts to secure lives and property across the state.
Olowookere later shared a short update later stating: “Evang Daniel Ukpo has been released. The Lord bless you all.”
Ademide Adebayo
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