“…The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord, and against his anointed, saying, Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us. He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the Lord shall have them in derision”
Tom Garba
In a fiery denunciation of what he termed “lies from the pit of hell,” Barr. Yakubu Saleh Bawa Esq., the legal adviser to the Evangelical Church Winning All (ECWA), has lambasted unnamed detractors and a rival lawyer for orchestrating a malicious media campaign aimed at undermining the church’s leadership amid an ongoing court dispute.
Bawa’s sharp rebuke comes in response to a controversial report alleging that two prominent ECWA pastors, Rev. Dr. Emmanuel O. Malomo and Rev. Ibrahim Auta, along with the church’s president, Rev. Dr. Job Ayuba Bagat, are in contempt of court and risk jail terms for defying a Kano State High Court order.
The report, published by Nigerian Sketch and circulated widely online, claimed that Rev. Malomo of ECWA Gospel Centre in Kano and Rev. Auta violated a restraining order by attending a “chairmen and secretaries consultation” meeting at ECWA headquarters in Jos from September 2 to 5, 2025.
It further asserted that the Kano State High Court Vacation No. 2, in a ruling dated August 18, 2025, nullified the inauguration of the Kano Central District Church Council (DCC) and barred the executives from parading themselves as such pending the motion on notice.
The article suggested this attendance constituted a “clear disregard” for the court’s directive, potentially dragging the ECWA president into contempt proceedings. It also referenced a cautionary letter dated September 1, 2025, from a counsel to some parties, warning the church’s national leadership against actions that could breach the order.
It is not true that ECWA was served with any valid court order in that regard
Bawa, a seasoned legal practitioner and former Chairman of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Jos Branch, dismissed these allegations as “propaganda, lies, and utterly false,” accusing the perpetrators of unethical conduct and unprofessionalism. “It is not true that ECWA was served with any valid court order in that regard,” Bawa stated emphatically.
“The two pastors were not served with a valid court preventing or restraining them from parading themselves as Kano Central DCC executives. Moreover, the matter is still in court, hence it is unethical and unprofessional for lawyers to keep engaging the media on an issue before the court.”
He further branded the accusers as “enemies of the church” bent on “destroying the church of God,” warning that such efforts were doomed to fail. “A few individuals are bent on destroying the church of God, which obviously doesn’t make any sense, and it’s clear that it’s a lost battle already because you can’t fight God and win,” Bawa declared.
A few individuals are bent on destroying the church of God, which obviously doesn’t make any sense, and it’s clear that it’s a lost battle already because you can’t fight God and win
“Many people tried in the past but lost shamefully and were consumed by the wrath of God. People should be careful not to follow that trend.”
Bawa’s comments echo a broader context of internal strife within ECWA’s Kano DCC, which has simmered since a 2018 leadership dispute.
In July 2024, the Kano High Court ruled in favor of the current leadership, barring the dissenting group from using ECWA’s name. Despite this, ECWA’s General Church Council (GCC) in May 2025 split the Kano DCC into Kano South and Kano Central, a move decried by protesters as a violation of a April 2025 status quo order from the Kano State High Court.
No valid court order was served on anyone, not even the two pastors the report purported to be served and joined the President in contempt of court
ECWA President Rev. Dr. Ayuba Job Bagat has maintained that the split resolves the seven-year impasse, but critics, including concerned members who protested at ECWA headquarters in Jos, accuse the leadership of disregarding court orders and the church constitution.
The August 18, 2025, ruling cited in the report appears to stem from this ongoing litigation, nullifying the Kano Central DCC inauguration and restraining the executives.
However, Bawa insisted no valid service was effected on ECWA, the pastors, or the president, rendering the alleged violation baseless. “No valid court order was served on anyone, not even the two pastors the report purported to be served and joined the President in contempt of court,” he added. “It’s all lies from the pit of hell.”
Legal experts have weighed in, condemning media trials as a threat to judicial integrity. One anonymous expert noted that while the Kano High Court has jurisdiction over chieftaincy and internal church disputes under state law, unsubstantiated public accusations could prejudice ongoing proceedings. This aligns with Bawa’s call for restraint: “It’s unethical and unprofessional for media trials when the matter is lying in the court of law.”
Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing?
Bawa’s biblical admonition serves as a stark warning to the “enemies of the church,” invoking Psalm 2:1-4 from the Holy Bible (King James Version): “Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing? The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord, and against his anointed, saying, Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us. He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the Lord shall have them in derision.” He urged the detractors to heed this scripture, emphasizing that divine justice prevails over human mischief.
As the case remains sub judice in the Kano State High Court, ECWA members and observers call for calm and trust in the judicial process.
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