Oyedepo challenges kidnappers, asks members to call him if abducted

David Oyedepo, founder of Living Faith Church Worldwide, has sparked fresh debate after telling congregants to give his phone number to kidnappers if they are abducted.

He stated that he holds the spiritual authority to facilitate their release.

Speaking during a church service at Canaanland, Oyedepo urged members not to panic if kidnapped but instead instruct their captors to reach out to him.

“If anybody picks you, give them my number,” he told the congregation in a sermon that later circulated widely on social media.

The remark, delivered during a message tagged #SupersonicSunday, quickly went viral, drawing widespread attention amid ongoing concerns over kidnapping in Nigeria.

Oyedepo linked his directive to past incidents involving abducted members of the church.

He recalled a case where a pastor affiliated with the ministry was kidnapped and the abductors allowed him to communicate directly with them.

According to him, he warned the kidnappers to release the victim or face death within 24 hours, after which the individual was freed.

In another instance, he recounted how a female member declared in captivity that she would be released by 7 a.m., a claim he said later came to pass following unusual developments among her captors.

The cleric described such testimonies as proof that his followers possess spiritual authority over fear and violence.

“You have been raised far above the devil,” he said, encouraging members to respond to threats with faith rather than fear.

He further stressed that church members share in this spiritual empowerment and should learn to exercise it.

His comments come as kidnapping for ransom continues to pose a serious security challenge across parts of Nigeria, with religious and community leaders increasingly weighing in on the crisis.

Although the sermon was intended as a message of faith and reassurance, its widespread circulation has fueled public debate about insecurity and the role of religious belief in addressing violent crime.