By Our Correspondent

The Nigerian Human Rights Community (NHRC), has criticised Nobel laureate Prof. Wole Soyinka for his calls that Pastor TB Joshua be tried by the court over the collapse of a building at the Synagogue Church of All Nations in 2014.

In a statement released yesterday and signed by its officials, Taye Adeleye and Mark Eke Alozie, the group chided the literary giant for glossing over facts and not being fair to the cleric in his calls. Adeleye and co particularly admonished the professor to be more circumspect and seek the facts before making blanket statements.

According to them, “The trial has been ongoing. The persecutors and the defence lawyers have been arguing their cases in the law court. As we speak, Pastor Joshua and the church have not been found guilty by the court. We do not understand what other trial the learned professor is talking about.”

Recall that at a book launch days back, Soyinka called for TB Joshua’s trial over the collapse of the building without acknowledging that there is already a case in court where the cleric has continued to argue his innocence.

The group also referred to the points raised by witnesses whose contention that they sighted a flying object hovering round the building few minutes before its collapse was ignored by the professor and others like him who are not ready to accept the facts of the case. According to the group, “These objects could be a drone, or light helicopter adding that it is left for the court and not an individual to investigate and come up with solutions.”

The group’s officials further opined that in the light of prevailing state of insecurity and banditry it is not good to dismiss the claim that aircraft were seen hovering around the church building moments before it collapsed. In their words, “Prof. Soyinka should be aware that terrorists in Nigeria use drone and this did not start today.

“Pastor Joshua is not above the law. That was why he has been taken to court. What we oppose is what looks like a sectarian plot to draw conclusions even when the legal processes are yet to be concluded. This raises the public fear that Pastor Joshua is a target of some influential individuals based on personal interests.

“They want to destroy him and all the good work he has been doing, especially meeting the needs of the people when relevant authorities have failed.”

The group went further to recognise the huge contributions TB Joshua has made to the betterment of life of millions of people, his immense roles in the upholding of the right of people and status as a true prode of the black race. Prof. Soyinka was advised to visit the Church to enable him see the great humanitarian services being rendered by TB Joshua and his chirch.

The group also mentioned the many interventions by the church towards alleviating the grief of the victims’ family members and the proven fact that even the victims have shown gratitude to the church for its huge support and provision of succour from the wounds inflicted by the unfortunate incident.