Cyber Vetting Arrests Apostle Daniel JY Adjei Over Offensive Remarks on Prophet Muhammad

The Ghana Police Service's Cyber Vetting and Enforcement Team has arrested Daniel Junior Yaw Adjei, popularly known as Apostle Daniel JY Adjei, and after a video circulating on social media showed him making what police described as derogatory and offensive comments about Prophet Muhammad. The arrest, confirmed by police on August 12, 2026, was carried out with support from the National Signals Bureau (NSB).

The action against Apostle Adjei follows the earlier arrest of Imam Masud Abdullah, 35, over a separate video in which he allegedly called for violence against people who insult or speak ill of Prophet Muhammad. Police said Abdullah made the remarks during a sermon at a mosque in Ntensere, in the Atwima Nwabiagya North District of the Ashanti Region, telling worshippers that killing anyone who insulted or described the Prophet as a false prophet was not a sin and would earn the perpetrator a place in heaven, even if arrested for it.

Two Arrests, One Investigation
Police said investigations into both cases are ongoing and that the suspects would be processed in line with the law on inciting the public against lawful order. The two arrests, though stemming from separate videos and separate faith communities, are being treated by police as connected strands of the same underlying concern: public statements by religious figures that carry the potential to inflame tension between Ghana's Christian and Muslim communities.

Abdullah's arrest drew swift public condemnation, and the National Chief Imam, Sheikh Osman Nuhu Sharubutu, moved to distance mainstream Islamic teaching from the imam's remarks once they came to his attention. In a statement issued through his Executive Secretary, Osumanu Seidu, the Chief Imam cautioned religious preachers, scholars and teachers "to exercise circumspection, responsibility and restraint in the discharge of their duties," warning that emotional or provocative sermons could be "misunderstood, misinterpreted or exploited to incite hatred, violence or public disorder."

He described the imam's remarks as inconsistent with Islamic teaching and said religious disagreements or perceived insults "must not be addressed through violence or vigilantism, but through lawful and constitutionally recognized processes." The Chief Imam's office subsequently said it had taken note of a public apology from the preacher and welcomed his acknowledgement of Ghana's secular constitutional order.

No Apology From Apostle Adjei
Apostle Adjei's camp has taken a different position. In a statement responding to his arrest, a representative of his church said the pastor maintains that he does not want to apologize for his comments. The statement added that, despite this position, the church "remains committed to peace" and "will not allow this issue to escalate into conflict," choosing instead to let due process and the law take their course.

A Test of Ghana's Religious Tolerance
The back-to-back arrests come at a moment when Ghana's authorities are visibly anxious to prevent online religious rhetoric from spilling into real-world conflict, a concern that has grown across West Africa as social media has made it easier for inflammatory sermons and remarks to reach large audiences within hours. Ghana has long been held up as a model of religious coexistence in the region, and the swift police response in both cases alongside the Chief Imam's public intervention signals an effort by both state and religious authorities to head off any escalation before it takes hold.

Mustapha Bature Sallama.
Medical/ Science Communicator,
Private Investigator, Criminal investigation and Intelligence Analysis.
International Conflict Management and Peace Building.USIP
mustysallama@gmail.com
+233-555-275-880

References
The Ghana Report, "Police arrest 2 over alleged inciting comments about Prophet Mohammed" https://theghanareport.com/news/police-arrest-2-over-alleged-inciting-comments-about-prophet-mohammed/

Graphic Online, "Imam and pastor arrested by police over inciteful comment on Prophet Mohammed" https://www.graphic.com.gh/news/general-news/imam-and-pastor-arrested-by-police-over-inciteful-comment-on-prophet-mohammed.html

Graphic Online, "Chief Imam warns preachers against provocative language in sermons" https://www.graphic.com.gh/news/general-news/chief-imam-warns-preachers-against-provocative-language-in-sermons.html

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