Adama has been behind several incidents involving the use of security forces to harass or detain individuals, particularly young Nigerians on TikTok, who have criticised prominent Christian religious leaders.

A video circulating online shows human rights activist Omoyele Sowore intervening to stop James Adama Paul, convener of the Concerned Christian Youth Forum (CCYF), from using the police to detain a TikToker and podcaster known as ‘KAA Truths.’ The confrontation is reportedly one of the key reasons the group is now planning a protest against Sowore on May 21.

SaharaReporters had earlier reported that the CCYF announced plans to hold a peaceful demonstration in Abuja, citing what it described as rising attacks on the Christian faith and its leaders. The group claims these attacks are supported by Sowore and his associates.

In a statement, CCYF invited all Christian youths in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to join the protest, scheduled for Tuesday, May 21, from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM at Unity Fountain, opposite the Transcorp Hilton in Maitama, Abuja.

To ensure mass mobilisation, Adama disclosed that free transportation would be provided from various parts of the city and all six area councils of the FCT. The buses, he said, would be visibly branded with CCYF banners.

According to Adama, the protest “is being organised to address the increasing disrespect and hostility directed toward Christianity and our religious leaders by Sowore and his associates”.

In February, SaharaReporters revealed that the CCYF had petitioned the Nigeria Police Force’s Force Intelligence Department (FID) against social media commentator KAA Truths. The group accused him of conspiracy, cyberstalking, defamation of character, spreading injurious falsehoods, and inciting violence.

This petition came after CCYF was previously involved in the arrest of TikToker Ogunsanwo Olumide John, popularly known as Seaking, over alleged disrespect toward Pastor E. A. Adeboye, General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God.

KAA Truths was subsequently invited for questioning by the Force Intelligence Department (FID) in Abuja via a letter signed by DCP Dickson Yunana Ayuba, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Admin), on behalf of the Deputy Inspector General of Police, Federal Intelligence Department.

However, the social media commentator was later granted bail after the intervention of Sowore.

Altercation Between Sowore And Adama

During the process on April 26, 2025, a heated altercation broke out between Sowore and Adama. Sowore firmly condemned Adama’s actions, accusing him of repeatedly using the police to unlawfully detain innocent citizens for simply expressing their views.

“You are destroying the Nigeria Police Force by using it to detain people who have committed no offence other than speaking their minds,” Sowore charged during the exchange.

Adama countered, asking, “Is cybercrime not an offence in Nigeria?”

Sowore replied sharply, “Do you get to determine that? How can you keep detaining people every week on behalf of pastors? That’s exactly what you’re doing, and it is completely unacceptable.”

VIDEO: How Sowore Stopped Move By Christian Group Tied To Prosperity Preachers To Use Police To Unjustly Arrest And Detain TikToker, Critics pic.twitter.com/lckWH4V2Jj

— Sahara Reporters (@SaharaReporters) May 18, 2025

As the argument intensified, Adama said, “Face your own God, let us face ours.”

Sowore responded, “This is not about religion. Nigeria has no official religion.”

Adama, undeterred, told Sowore, “I don’t care what you think. You’ve warned me, sent me texts. I’m telling you now—if anything happens, I’ll hold you responsible. Who do you think you are?”

Sowore maintained his stance, declaring, “This isn’t just about you. Any police officer supporting you in violating the rights of Nigerians for expressing themselves will be held accountable. You can’t keep destroying people’s lives.”

When Adama reached out to touch him, Sowore sternly warned, “Don’t touch me. Don’t ever touch me again.”

Responding to Adama’s earlier question—“Who do you think you are?”—Sowore said, “I am who I am. And you will not get away with destroying the lives of Nigerian youths by weaponising the police. This must stop, and those enabling you will be stopped.”

Adama retorted, “You can’t do anything.”

Sowore replied, “Can you imagine? This man kept two people in detention for 26 days. Then he detained another young man—and I got them out. Now you’re at it again, trying to detain someone else. It ends here. You are not detaining anyone else over this.”

On Sunday, Sowore took to his X handle to provide further insight into the incident, sharing details about the video of the altercation and his perspective on the events.

He wrote, “Adama has a significant amount of influence on the police, as they help him draft and vet petitions to violate the rights of young people using social media to express their views freely.

“So far, Adama’s efforts have led to the detention of citizens on behalf of prominent preachers. On this particular day, Adama had another victim, the podcaster of KaaTruths, in his sights, but this intervention enabled him to return home on bail. 

“Previously, Adama detained the Eneche brothers for months on behalf of Dr. Paul Enenche of Dunamis International Gospel Centre Church and arrested Olumide Ogunsanwo @seaking303 leading to his prolonged detention at the IRT cells in Abuja.

“Adama is well-connected and funded by prosperity preachers in Nigeria. 

“What is bizarre about his connivance with these police officers is that he is used to persecute people as a “nominal complainant” when his victims haven't committed any infractions against him as a person.”

“Following this altercation, the FID did not carry out any further detentions, even though they still constantly harassed people underground,” he added.

Regarding the planned protest against him, Sowore described it as “a welcome development”, adding that Adama “is entitled to these rights just as others expressing their views about his benefactors are within their rights to do so”.

“However, the struggle to preserve the dignity of citizens cannot be stopped,” he added.

Background

Adama has been behind several incidents involving the use of security forces to harass or detain individuals, particularly young Nigerians on TikTok, who have criticised prominent Christian religious leaders.

These arrests were often based on spurious allegations such as “blasphemy,” “cyberstalking,” or “defamation,” typically involving influential pastors or generalised commentary on church practices.

In some of these cases, content creators were picked up without due process and held incommunicado for days. Civil society groups and human rights advocates raised the alarm over what they called a coordinated abuse of state apparatus to silence dissent under the guise of religious respect.

Sowore, publisher of SaharaReporters and a vocal human rights activist, has repeatedly intervened in these cases. Using his platform and legal support network, Sowore publicised instances of unlawful arrests and mobilised public pressure to secure the release of those detained.

He has also condemned what he describes as the “weaponisation” of religion and the misuse of police power to enforce personal interests.

Sowore’s interventions have led to the release of some TikTokers and bloggers, and in several cases, he has called for disciplinary action against police officers who acted outside their legal mandate.

He has also challenged the involvement of Adama in the persecution of online critics, warning that it poses a serious threat to free speech and democratic norms in Nigeria.

SaharaReporters has previously detailed how Adama orchestrated the arrest and detention of former Dunamis Church pastor Abraham Daniel and two others over alleged defamation.

Acting as a proxy for influential pastors, Adama has consistently leveraged law enforcement and security agencies to target and detain individuals who criticise perceived abuses within Nigerian Christianity or speak out against what some have called “pulpit banditry.”

In one instance, a Magistrate Court in Abuja remanded two relatives of Pastor Paul Enenche, Mr. Enenche Enenche and Alexander Enenche, at the Keffi Prison in Nasarawa State over accusations of defaming the pastor. Pastor Enenche is the founder and senior pastor of Dunamis International Gospel Centre, a popular Pentecostal church based in Abuja.

Following the arrests, Adama held a press conference in which he defended the detention of Abraham Daniel and the Enenche relatives. He declared that defamatory remarks, libellous content, and public criticisms targeting pastors would no longer be tolerated.

Adama also claimed responsibility for several arrests, stating that his interventions were part of a broader effort to combat what he described as a coordinated smear campaign against Christian leaders.

Adama said, “These individuals have consistently used their platforms to launch baseless allegations against the Church and its leaders, seeking to demean and drag the Christian faith into disrepute.

"Daniel has repeatedly insulted men of God, made defamatory statements about the Church, and described Christianity as a scam.

“Such actions are not only reckless but are also capable of inciting religious tensions in an already fragile nation. This blatant abuse of social media poses a grave threat to religious harmony and national peace.”

“The targeted attacks on Christianity and its clerics constitute a gross violation of these provisions. I am fully committed to ensuring that such attacks do not go unchecked,” he affirmed.

Adama vowed to see the matter through to the end, insisting that those responsible would be held accountable for their actions.

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