Leadership and members of the Assemblies of God Church yesterday raised the alarm over an alleged plan by some persons believed to have lost in the legal tussle in the crisis rocking the fold to invade its churches across the country.
The move it was learnt is designed to cart away properties and other assets belonging to the church.
It would be recalled that the crisis rocking the Assemblies of God Church had dragged to a Supreme Court ruling in favour of one of the parties in the tussle.
But the South-South Zone 5 of the body at a press conference held yesterday in Benin, the Edo state capital alerted security agencies including the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. General Tukur Burutai, Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris and heads of security agencies alleged that dismissed and excommunicated members of the church planned to use their personnel to cause the mayhem.
The executive member of the South-South Zone 5, Rev. (Prof.) Robert Ebuade who was flanked by Rev. Paul Ekeasi (District Superintendent, Edo District), Rev. Friday Odiamehi (District Superintendent, Esan District) and other executive members, called for calm among the church members.
They said the olive branch is being extended to the members who wish to repent and come back.
According to them, “Though the church believes that the security outfits in Nigeria are too disciplined to take any step that would undermine the Supreme Court decision and other extant laws, we however urge our members to be vigilant against the use of armed persons who will impersonate security agencies”.
Rev. Ebuade stated that “Such should immediately be reported to the appropriate security agency. Meanwhile, the Chief of Army Staff, General Officer Commanding in charge of Edo State, Inspector General of Police, Edo State Police Commissioner and the various Divisional Police Officers (DPOs) are hereby put on notice of above-stated facts”.
He recalled that the Assemblies of God, Nigeria had in its meeting on 6, March, 2014, removed Rev. Paul Emeka as its General Superintendent, dismissed him as a minister and excommunicated him from the church for rebelling against the church and elected Rev. (Dr) Chidi Okoroafor as General Superintendent of the church.
He said Emeka challenged the decision at the High Court in Enugu and won but that church appealed against the ruling and got victory at the Appeal Court and then Supreme court.
The cleric gave the names of other clerics of the church who were also dismissed and excommunicated from the church to include Revds. Joel Okogele, Sunday Oyaletor, Ayo Imumorin, Victor Igbinoba, Best Aikhatuamen, Albert Okodugha, Stephen Okojie, Michael Eromonsele and others for rebelling against the church.
The church said that following the judgment of the Supreme Court, the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC), validated the Certificate of Incorporation of the church dated 30, April 2015 which removed Rev Paul Emeka as one of the trustees of the church Ebuade disclosed that the church has commenced legal process of recovery it’s properties in the possession of the Pastors that were dismissed and excommunicated.
He also called on banks in Edo State and government functionaries that do not have the current CAC certificate on the change of the church’s trustees to dishonor all bank transactions on the church accounts of the dismissed and excommunicated members.
Okay
ReplyDelete