The Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Olohundare Jimoh, has stated that pointing a stun gun at someone and causing fear constitutes an offence under Nigerian law.
Jimoh made this remark during an appearance on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily on Thursday, where he addressed the ongoing investigation into Pastor Paul Adefarasin, the Senior Pastor of House on the Rock Church.
The pastor was questioned over a viral video showing him holding a gun-like object, later identified as a stun gun.
“Nothing is an offence under the law, except what the law states to be an offence. Even under the Fire Arms Act, if you fashion out anything that is not metal, like wood, and you make it look like a gun, and you use that guise to take possession of property from another person, you have committed armed robbery,” Jimoh said.
“So, pointing a stun gun at another individual and sending that threat and fear to such a person at that particular time constitutes an offence. So, the police are doing everything in line with the law,” he added.
The police confirmed that the device recovered from Adefarasin was a stun gun, not a lethal weapon.
However, Jimoh clarified that it is still classified as prohibited riot equipment under Nigerian law.
“He was invited; a letter of invitation was sent to him. In fact, we had prepared our warrant of arrest, in case he refused to comply with the invitation. But he turned himself in and was questioned by a team of investigators who were already on the matter before he turned himself in,” the commissioner said.
“The matter is still undergoing further investigation. As the PPRO has informed the public, what was recovered from him was a stun gun, not a lethal weapon, but is prohibited riot equipment which we are investigating. We further questioned him why he pointed such to another individual.”
Jimoh revealed that the individual to whom the stun gun was allegedly pointed would also be invited to make a statement.
Reports indicate the person may be a content creator.
“It is equally on social media that the person he pointed it to is a content creator and we are taking a statement from him as soon as he equally gets to us because we have got his address and we’re going to get him to make a statement in that regard,” he noted.S
“So, the pastor is still under investigation, though he has been granted bail, but we will continue with the investigation and make the outcome of the investigation public for all Nigerians to know.”
Pastor Adefarasin turned himself in on Tuesday and was granted bail on Wednesday.
He voluntarily gave a cautionary statement to police investigators.
The video that sparked the controversy showed him inside a Range Rover, rolling down his window and interacting with a road user while holding a black object.
In a post on his official X (formerly Twitter) account, Adefarasin denied pointing a firearm at anyone:
“You might be aware of a video which has been circulating on social media showing me in what some have misunderstood as brandishing a firearm. I want to assure you of this, that was certainly not a firearm, and at no point did I point such at anyone,” he wrote.
Speaking during last Sunday’s live-streamed church service, Adefarasin doubled down on his denial and addressed the online backlash, describing it as “hurtful” and “malicious.”
“I was falsely accused of bearing a firearm, pointing a firearm at an aggressive content creator who came within personal distance,” he told his congregation.
“The only thing separating him and me was maybe three-quarters of a metre and a glass. I do not have a pistol licence. I do not carry a firearm, and I pointed no firearm at anybody.”
He further condemned what he termed media sensationalism.
“We have witnessed clickbaiters just looking for more money. I probably wasn’t even their target; their target was to make more money,” he said.
Reflecting on the personal toll the saga took on him, the 62-year-old cleric admitted feeling “shocked” and “hurt.”
“I am human. But God is touched by our infirmities and can first give us succour. And what the enemy means for evil, He works for good,” he concluded.
