A Nigerian Christian missionary group, Life Mission, has faulted the detention of 62 Nigerians in Uganda, insisting that the affected persons are humanitarian volunteers and not illegal operators, as alleged by Ugandan authorities.
PUNCH Metro learnt on Thursday that Ugandan immigration authorities detained the 62 Nigerian nationals in Adjumani District over allegations of illegally operating churches in the country.
The country’s Directorate of Citizenship and Immigration Control disclosed this in a statement posted on its X handle on Wednesday.
Our correspondent learnt that the arrests were carried out during operations conducted on April 27, 2026, in Adjumani and the Bukoto–Ntinda area of Kampala.
Ugandan authorities said the exercise was based on credible intelligence from members of the public.
However, in an exclusive interview with PUNCH Metro on Thursday, the Executive Director of the mission group, Michael ChristisKing, said the detainees were Christian missionaries engaged in a long-running cross-cultural outreach focused on humanitarian service.
He said the mission to Northern Uganda began in 2022 following what he described as a “heavy need” among South Sudanese refugees, adding that the group recruited university graduates for the outreach.
He also said the organisation followed due process before entering Uganda.
According to him, the group secured invitations and approvals from relevant authorities, including the Office of the Prime Minister, the Commissioner for Refugees, and the Born Again Fellowship of Uganda.
“Our current journey to Northern Uganda began in 2022. Witnessing the ‘heavy need’ among South Sudanese refugees, we launched a massive mobilisation effort in Nigeria.
“We didn’t just send anyone; in 2023, we took 53 Nigerians to serve for three months of successful service in Uganda. Our focus has been on recruiting university graduates.
“This time, we trained them for 11 months at the Foursquare Church Camp in Ajebo, outside Lagos. From September 2024 to August 2025, these 216 volunteers lived in camp preparing for a life of service.
“We managed every detail: passports, flight tickets, and a curriculum focused on education, healthcare, and agricultural empowerment. We were prepared to carry ‘bread in one hand and the Bible in the other.’
“We are not undocumented outsiders. Our entry into Uganda was the result of seven months of rigorous administrative work.
“We secured invitations and permissions from the Office of the Prime Minister, the Commissioner for Refugees, and the Born Again Fellowship of Uganda.”
He added that when visa challenges arose, an official of Uganda’s Internal Affairs Ministry advised the group to engage an agent, which led to the processing of their travel documents through a Ugandan immigration officer.
According to him, upon arrival in August 2025, the team was denied access to refugee camps despite earlier preparations, forcing them to settle in host communities in the West Nile region.
ChristisKing said the volunteers spent eight months carrying out humanitarian activities, including vocational training, health education, agricultural support, and youth mentorship.
He, however, alleged that the situation changed on April 24, 2026, when authorities declared their documents invalid despite their visas being valid until May 15.
“Sixty-two of our members were forced onto a prison bus for a 10-hour journey to Kampala. They were stripped of their dignity, and their belongings were left behind in the north.
“Throughout this ordeal, the Nigerian High Commission in Uganda, led by Ambassador John Shama Shaga, has been our sole advocate.
“His Excellency has stood by us at midnight and midday, witnessing the ‘spiteful treatment’ we have received. He saw firsthand how, on the very day our papers were seized, authorities were rejoicing while welcoming another group of missionaries from the West,” he added.
ChristisKing, however, called on the Ugandan government to release the detained Nigerians and recognise their role as humanitarian workers.
Read the full article here
