Nigeria confirms Zimbabwean Bishop deported; Insists – ‘will not tolerate violation of Immigration law’

By Agencies

LOGOS: The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has confirmed the deportation of Zimbabwean Bishop, Eben K. Nhiwatawa, for participating in the bitter Methodist Church leadership election process while on a tourist visa.

In a statement issued by its Public Relations Officer, Kenneth Udo, on Wednesday, the NIS described the Bishop’s actions as a clear violation of the terms and privileges associated with the tourist visa, as outlined in the Nigeria Visa Policy 2024.

The cleric was reported to be safely back in Zimbabwe on Tuesday.

The statement read in part, “On 24th August 2024, Mr Eben K. Nhiwatawa, a Zimbabwean Bishop, was apprehended in Yola, Adamawa State, for violating Immigration protocols.

“The Bishop arrived in the country on 21st August 2024, with a Tourist Visa (F5A) meant solely for tourism purposes.

“However, he was found to be participating in the Methodist Church leadership election process, which is in clear violation of the terms and privileges associated with the Tourist Visa as provided in the Nigeria Visa Policy 2024.

“In light of the above, the Comptroller General of the Nigeria Immigration Service, with Ministerial approval, has ordered his immediate repatriation from the country.

“While the Service encourages the lawful inflow of Foreign Direct Investment and individuals engaging in business and social activities, as key facilitators of economic growth and development, it will not tolerate any violation of the country’s Immigration laws.

“The Service remains committed to preserving the country’s national security and will continue to monitor the activities of foreigners for such purposes.”

Bishop Nhiwatiwa’s plight stems from a bitter conflict in Nigeria between church leaders loyal to The United Methodist Church and factions supporting the breakaway Global Methodist Church and former Bishop John Wesley Yohanna.

Nhiwatiwa is part of a four-bishop team appointed by the UMC Council of Bishops to administer the troubled Nigeria Episcopal Area after Yohanna and his cabinet resigned in July to join the Global Methodist Church.

United Methodist pastor Ande I. Emmanuel of the Southern Nigeria Annual Conference gave this account in an email:

Bishop Eben Nhiwatiwa arrived in Nigeria successfully and was cleared at the airport with a visa on arrival. He entered Nigeria to commence his visit. But the Global Methodist Church breakaway faction led by John Wesley Yohanna reported him to the immigration that he came to promote homosexuality in Nigeria.

The immigration officers in Yola, the capital city of Adamawa State, which (was) the first location for his visit, invited him and interrogated him for three hours (Aug. 23) and put him under guard and this evening he was invited at their office again in Yola and was told that his attention is needed at the immigration headquarters in Abuja. They put him this evening on the plane with one immigration officer to Abuja to meet the Comptroller General in Abuja.

Nhiwatiwa’s detention was the second harassment of a United Methodist bishop by Global Methodist Church supporters in Nigeria this summer.

The conflict in the Nigeria Episcopal Area has been going on for several years. United Methodists who wished to remain in the UMC have clashed with former Bishop Yohanna and his supporters on many occasions. In at least three incidents, both clergy and laypeople were detained or arrested on various civil allegations that proved to be false.