Founder of Living Faith Church, David Oyedepo, has stirred widespread attention after telling congregants to hand over his phone number if they are ever kidnapped, asserting that such situations would end in their release.
Speaking during a sermon that quickly went viral, the bishop said his past involvement in kidnapping cases shows what he described as spiritual authority over such threats. According to him, members of his church can tap into the same power once they come to understand it.
“If anyone kidnaps you, give them my number. If nothing happens, then I’m not sent. You carry the same force if you discover it,” he declared.
Oyedepo backed his claim with testimonies. He recounted an incident involving a church pastor who was abducted but later freed after he personally spoke to the kidnappers during a ransom call. The bishop said he issued a 24-hour ultimatum, warning them of dire consequences if the victim was not released.
“In 24 hours, if you don’t release him, you are dead,” he said, adding that the pastor regained freedom shortly afterward.
He also described another case involving a female church member who reportedly told her captors she would be released by 7 a.m. based on his declaration.
According to Oyedepo, the kidnappers then turned on themselves, leading to her eventual escape.
The remarks have since generated strong reactions online, with many debating the implications of such claims amid ongoing concerns about insecurity.
