Akwa Ibom seals off Christ Embassy church over attack on COVID-19 team

The Akwa Ibom state government has sealed off the premises of Christ Embassy Church, Nung Akpa Ime branch, Uyo, for allegedly attacking the state COVID-19 compliance monitoring team.

Emmanuel Ekuwem, secretary to the state government (SSG) and chairman of the COVID-19 management committee, disclosed this in a statement in on Sunday.

According to the statement, the decision was as a result of lawlessness by the church and to avoid the risk of community transmission of COVID-19 in Akwa Ibom State.

“The Christ Embassy Church building and premises are hereby sealed off with immediate effect till further notice,” adding that the “suspected Pastors and relevant members of the church will be made to face the wrath of the law.”

The statement read in part,

“today, Sunday 21 June, 2020, the Akwa Ibom State Government and Christian Association of Nigeria ( CAN) Monitoring Team, while on a routine compliance/inspection visit to the Christ Embassy Church, Nung Akpa Ime branch, State House of Assembly Road, off Nsikak Eduok Avenue to enforce the Akwa Ibom State government/Nigerian Centre for Disease Control (NCDC)/World Health Organisation ( WHO)/Christian Association( CAN) Guidelines and Protocols adopted to prevent community spreading of the dreaded COVID-19 pandemic in Akwa Ibom State, were obstructed, attacked and brutalized by the Pastors and some members of the church.

” 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, the Christ Embassy Church building and premises are hereby sealed off with immediate effect till further notice.”

Effiong had maintained that the guidelines as proposed by CAN and adopted by the state government for reopening of churches in the state have not only stifled the fundamental rights to freedom of religion/worship but also were a clear attempt to gag the church.