On Sunday, the Nigerian Army said that troops seen at the Abuja Commonwealth of Zion Assembly (COZA) were not deployed to provide security or harass demonstrators.
Spokesman of the army Sagir Musa told reporters today that the army was carrying out an inter-denominational service across the nation and troops are supposed to participate in the worship.
The remarks accompanied an inquiry by reporters as to why troops were present at an ongoing demonstration against Biodun Fatoyinbo, the leading preacher of COZA now on fire for suspected rape.
At the demonstration, organized and supposedly attended by females, at least four troops were seen performing cordon operations.
The women demand Mr Fatoyinbo’s instant resignation from the church he set up in the early 1990s.
In addition to security operatives from the police, Civil Defense and State Security Service, the troops also were there to provide security.
The existence of the security agents was in addition to the security of the church itself.
Protesters informed journalists that an effort at intimidation was sensed by the heavy security presence, but they said they would stay defiant.
Before Sunday service began at 9:00 a.m., many people were turned away from entering the church, suspected that non-members might storm the auditorium to embarrass Mr. Fatoyinbo.
Whether Mr Fatoyinbo would attend service today over the accusations he had refused and threatened lawsuit was not instantly evident.
