Worshipers on the run after Akwa Ibom State Government Demolished Church Building

Worshipers on the run after Akwa Ibom State Government Demolished Church Building

The Akwa Ibom State Government on Tuesday 23rd June, arrested the General Overseer of The Knowledge of God Ministry, identified as Prophet Victor Elijah, alongside with some of his members and subsequently demolished his church building.

The Chief of Staff to the Akwa Ibom state Governor, Akparawa Ephraim Inyangeyen, in his briefing, told newsmen that Pastor Victor and his members were arrested because they failed to comply with the guidelines and protocols stipulated to prevent the spread of the dreadful Coronavirus (COVID-19) in the state.

As gathered from a statement made by Akparawa Ephraim, the church held a special prayer which involved multitude of people, thereby make them to violent COVID-19 guild lines. 

The state COVID-19 Task Force Committee was alerted by concerned individuals, during the service. On their arrival to the church venue at Paulinus Urua Street, behind the the state Ministry of Works, they arrested Pastor Victor (the head of the church) alongside other members.

They arrested numbers of worshipers as others were able to navigate their escape way.

Subsequently, they demolished the church building without hesitation.

“We got a tip from a concerned citizen informing us that a certain church situated at Paulinus Urua Street, behind the Ministry of Works was having a special prayer service and we immediately responded. What we saw was a total disaster. Over one thousand people had assembled in a small cubicle; no social distancing and none of them was wearing face mask. The crowd was so much that place couldn’t contain them. In response to this act of lawlessness by that church and in order to avoid the risk of community transmission of COVID-19 in Akwa Ibom State, we decided to arrest the pastor and some of his members and the structure demolished”. Akparawa Ephraim, stated.

The arrested worshiper were handed over to the police as they await to face the law of the state government.

MyOpinion: Arresting individuals that violate their state law is fine but destroying the church building is what I describe as wickedness to humanity. Markets are busy with more numbers of individuals crowding in different spot with no social distancing, and the state government are busy fighting and destroying Churches.

I think closing of churches is part of the reasons people keep dying out of depression and frustration everyday.

Many people are passing through different challenges as regards to this pandemic period, without no one to comfort them, Since churches where they could get at least words of comfort, compassion and encouragements are closed.

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