10 Pastors arrested in Akwa Ibom State for holding church services amid Coronavirus outbreak

10 Pastors have been arrested by the Akwa Ibom State Police command for holding church services in the state, in defiance to Governor Emmanuel Udom’s stay-at-home order following the confirmation of Coronavirus cases in the state. 

Though the state’s chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) instructed churches not to hold services, some Churches in Eket defied the directive and held services today. 

The Nation reported that the Eket branch pastor of the Deeper Life Bible Church and a pastor of the United African Evangelical church, were among those arrested Sunday morning by police offcers from Eket Divisional police headquarters. They were spotted seated on a long bench with their Bibles, alongside other Pastors. 

The Divisional Police officer, Mr Sunday Diggah who disclosed that the Pastors may be prosecuted for violating the State Government’s stay-at-home order, also disclosed that they have impounded many cars while enforcing the order. He said the cars will be released to their owners after the two weeks movement restriction order.

Akwa Ibom state has recorded 5 cases of Coronavirus, since the outbreak of the disease in the country.