Pastor Paul Adefarasin of House on the Rock has broken his silence over allegations that he pointed a firearm at a content creator, identified as Yl_thecarguy, in Lagos.

A viral video posted by Yl_thecarguy, known for filming luxury cars and posting the footage on his social media platforms on Friday, shows Mr Adefarasin holding an object, which some viewers claimed was a firearm.

Responding to the allegation during his Sunday sermon, streamed live on the church’s YouTube channel and monitored by PREMIUM TIMES, the 62-year-old pastor said the circulating video was misinterpreted.

The Convener and Host of ‘The Experience’ gospel concert, who had earlier refuted the claim via his Facebook page, described the incident during his sermon as hurtful and malicious.

The graduate of Architecture from the University of Miami said: “We do not wrestle against flesh and blood but against spiritual powers and princes, spiritual wickedness in heavenly places, spiritual wickedness in high places, and a range of about 13 Kedah of demonic hosts. And so the enticement of the enemy is always the love of money at the root of all evil. We have witnessed clickbaiters just looking for more money. I probably wasn’t even their target. Their target was to make more money.

“And I was falsely accused of bearing a firearm, pointing a firearm at an aggressive content creator who came within personal distance. The only thing separating him (the content creator) and me was maybe three-quarters of a meter and a class. I do not have a pistol license for a firearm. I do not carry a firearm, and I pointed no firearm at anybody. And it’s our policy not to dignify hate speech, false accusations.”

Furthermore, Mr Adefarasin, an author, disclosed that he felt hurt and shocked when people brought the online controversy surrounding the video to his attention.

“We believe that God is bigger than that, and we believe in what is said in Romans 12 and verse 19. It was unique. After all, it came home on a Saturday when I observed the Sabbath because it was a great time for me. I don’t make a huge law out of the Sabbath, but I believe in the principle of the Sabbath.

“Unfortunately, several people called me and sent me many videos. I was shocked. I’ll be candid with you. I was shocked. I was 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.”

Meanwhile, the content creator has apologised to the clergyman after the controversy and backlash directed at Mr Adefarasin.

In an Instagram Story on Saturday, the content creator posted a letter of apology sent to the pastor, explaining that he never intended to portray him in a negative light.

He wrote, “Good afternoon, sir. I hope you are well, sir. And the family, sir, I am very sorry for what happened yesterday about the video. Sir, I honestly did not know that you were a pastor. I am just a young boy with no father or mother, trying to build my content and myself. I can’t steal or obtain people.

“This is what I love doing, spotting and posting luxurious cars, sir. Never imagined it would go viral this way, or people we talked about it like this, I’m very sorry, sir

Please, sir, I sincerely apologise. Kindly find it in your heart to forgive me. I am truly very sorry, sir.”

This was not the first time Mr Adefarasin and his church had been embroiled in controversy.

In February 2023, this newspaper reported that one of the church’s pastors, Uche Aigbe, was arrested by the Federal Capital Territory Police Command for bringing a firearm into the church.

Mr Aigbe, along with two others, was taken into custody after mounting the pulpit with an AK-47 rifle.

The church, however, explained that Mr Aigbe used the weapon merely as a visual aid to support his sermon and did not intend to incite violence.

He was subsequently arraigned before a magistrate’s court in Abuja.