The OurMumuDonDo Movement has called on the authorities to probe the finances of religious leaders to promote transparency in the country.
The civil society group made the call while reacting to upsurge in private jet acquisition by clerics in the country.
Reports of acquisition of a private jet by Apostle Johnson Suleman of Omega Fire Ministry recently rent the air.
Also, another popular cleric recently said he was prepared to increase the number of jets in his fleet to double figures.
But National Secretary, Raphael Adebayo said that probing religious leaders would prevent a situation where people accrue wealth and live boisterously under false pretences while citizens continue to suffer.
“Regardless of how this issue is viewed, we must, as a nation, urgently consider reforms for our religious organisations,” Vanguard quoted him as saying.
“We must question this untamed knack of pastors for ostentation and flamboyance. We must question how leaders of religious organisations which are supposedly non-profit are able to acquire properties worth millions of dollars without any explanation as to how these properties were acquired.
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“We must ascertain the sources of these luxurious acquisitions, to avoid a situation where pastors unscrupulously use the funds of their churches for themselves, or, even worse; use their churches to siphon stolen public wealth through their unholy alliances with politicians.
“Perhaps, when the latitude for abuse is considerably minimal in religious organisations, the ostentatious desires and lifestyles of their leaders will also reduce.
“Before it is too late, Christians must begin to demand transparency and accountability from their Pastors and General Overseers; the same way we all demand transparency and accountability from elected officials.
“The Nigerian government, also, must review its sacred-cow treatment of religious organisations; for it makes no sense, that while these churches are enjoying exemption from paying taxes, their religious heads are busy accumulating wealth and luxurious properties.
“Our nation suffers deficits in numerous areas, and we can’t have people accruing wealth and living boisterously under false pretences while citizens continue to suffer.”
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