Nigeria’s National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has issued a warning against purchasing “miracle” products from the Christ Mercyland Deliverance Ministry, led by popular Christian televangelist Jeremiah Fufeyin. The products, including “Miracle Water” and “River Jordan Water,” are being promoted with claims of supernatural healing powers, such as curing infertility.
In a statement, NAFDAC condemned the church for selling these products without regulatory approval, describing the health benefits advertised as “bogus.” The agency’s investigation was prompted by public complaints and noted that the ministry had “refused to cooperate with the investigation.”
Christ Mercyland Deliverance Ministry, however, denied these allegations, asserting that it abides by Nigeria’s laws and exercises its religious freedoms. In a statement shared on Sunday, the church maintained that its use of “spiritual items” aligns with its religious beliefs, and that it had been in communication with NAFDAC regarding the matter.
Fufeyin, a billionaire preacher, is a prominent figure in Nigeria’s religious scene, known for his claims of performing miracles and healing the sick. His ministry boasts hundreds of thousands of followers across social media platforms, including YouTube.
NAFDAC’s warning brings attention to a broader issue in Nigeria, where high-profile preachers often market products claiming to offer miraculous cures. Fufeyin is not the first to face scrutiny; the late televangelist TB Joshua sold “anointed water” with similar claims and was found in a BBC investigation to have secretly mixed prescription drugs into the “healing” drinks given to his followers.
The controversy surrounding such practices has raised concerns over public health and the exploitation of vulnerable followers in pursuit of spiritual healing.
