Senior Pastor of House on the Rock Church, Paul Adefarasin, has clarified that the object seen in his hand during a recent roadside encounter was a non-lethal stun gun, not a firearm as widely speculated.
The clarification comes after a viral video showed the cleric holding what appeared to be a gun while seated in an unregistered black Range Rover. The footage sparked widespread controversy and public criticism, prompting the Lagos State Police Command to invite him for questioning.
Pastor Adefarasin voluntarily honoured the police invitation and appeared at the Command Headquarters in Ikeja on Tuesday. He was granted administrative bail after providing a cautionary statement.
In an official response shared on social media and reiterated during a sermon, Adefarasin expressed dismay over the incident, describing the public reaction as hurtful and the narrative as misleading.
“That was certainly not a firearm, and at no point did I point such at anyone,” he said. “The object was a stun gun, which I keep for personal protection in line with the reality of today’s security situation.”
He also accused content creators of pushing a distorted version of events for the sake of clicks and revenue. “It is clickbait, chasing money, not truth,” he added.
Confirming the pastor’s account, Lagos State Police spokesperson, CSP Benjamin Hundeyin, said the item recovered from him was a stun gun—an anti-riot device prohibited under Nigerian law, but not a lethal weapon.
Hundeyin noted that the investigation is ongoing and findings will be made public once concluded.
Senior Pastor of House on the Rock Church, Paul Adefarasin, has denied claims that he brandished a firearm in a now-viral video, stating that the object seen in his hand was a non-lethal stun gun used for personal protection.
The controversy began after footage emerged online showing the pastor holding what appeared to be a gun while seated in an unregistered black Range Rover. The video sparked widespread criticism, prompting the Lagos State Police Command to invite him for questioning.
Pastor Adefarasin voluntarily presented himself at the Command Headquarters in Ikeja on Tuesday and was granted administrative bail after making a cautionary statement. The Lagos Police confirmed that the recovered item was a stun gun, which is classified as a prohibited anti-riot device under Nigerian law, but not a firearm.
In a statement shared on social media and during a sermon, Adefarasin described the situation as “hurtful” and denied any wrongdoing.
“That was certainly not a firearm, and at no point did I point such at anyone,” he said. “The object was a stun gun, which I carry in line with the reality of today’s security situation.”
He further criticised the narrative being pushed online, accusing content creators of spreading misinformation for profit. “This is clickbait—chasing money, not truth,” he added.
House on the Rock Church also released an official statement supporting the pastor’s account. The church expressed gratitude to members of the public for their concern and prayers, while clarifying that the police had initially mislabelled the object as a “prohibited anti-riot weapon.”
“We wish to assure the public that at no time was a firearm involved, and Pastor Paul did not threaten anyone,” the statement read. “We stand by his integrity and continue to cooperate with the authorities.”
The Lagos State Police Command said investigations are ongoing and promised that the outcome would be made public upon conclusion.
