Senior Pastor of Celebration Church International, Emmanuel Iren, has responded strongly to criticisms trailing his perceived silence and that of other prominent Nigerian pastors over the recent massacre in Plateau State.
The tragic attack, which left over 50 people, including children, dead, has sparked national outrage. Many Nigerians took to social media to demand that influential religious leaders use their platforms to condemn the killings and advocate for justice. Among those called out were Pastor E.A. Adeboye, Bishop David Oyedepo, and Apostle Emmanuel Iren.
Reacting to the backlash, Pastor Iren took to the X platform (formerly Twitter) to express his frustration over the mounting criticism.
In a lengthy post, he dismissed the narrative that his silence equated to inaction and revealed several humanitarian efforts carried out by his ministry in Plateau and other northern states, most of which, he said, were done without publicity.
Pastor Iren emphasised that these efforts were not made for “noise or paparazzi,” but stemmed from genuine care and responsibility. He added that those judging him from afar should evaluate their own contributions before casting stones.
Pastor Iren Emmanuel fumes over alleged silence on Plateau killings
“Grow up! Social media is not real life. In Plateau alone (not even the whole north), last year we;
– Paid for the treatment of a man whose arm was amputated by bandits.
– Sent clothes to villages
– have had kids on scholarship for five years now
– Partnered with missionaries
– Helped families escape attacks.”
He added, “All of these without noise or paparazzi like people who actually care and not to “score points” in public eye.
1. Before you come here to take the moral high ground, ensure you’re at least doing what I am doing or better.
2. Except you are a member of my Church, I don’t owe you any accountability. You do not tell me when or how to speak up.
“I do not hold a public office. Maybe holding the leaders who do accountable will be a better idea. At the end of the day, God marks our scripts.”
