Plans by Bishop David Oyedepo of the Living Faith Church (Winners Chapel) to reopen his church has hit a brick wall as the police in Ogun State have sent a warning to him over the decision.
Bishop Oyedepo had, in a viral video on Friday, said he had declared churches open, saying anybody against the reopening of churches would die.
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The police, in what appeared to be a response to the popular preacher, said that they have information that some religious leaders in Ogun are preparing to open their religious centres for people to converge; a move that the police said was against the directives of the Federal Government.
According to a statement by the state’s Police Spokesperson, Abimbola Oyeyemi, the police called on religious leaders to shelve plans of reopening worship centres, as the police would not tolerate any move capable of destabilizing the determination of the State and Federal Governments in the fight against COVID-19.
The statement reads:
It has come to the notice of Ogun State Police Command that some religious leaders in the state are preparing to open their various religious centers for people to converge in total disobedience to both the state and federal government directives.
The command hereby appeals to such religious leaders in both Islamic and Christian faith who may be having such intention to have a change of mind because the security agencies in the state will view such with all seriousness.
The command will not tolerate any act capable of undermining the determination of the state and federal government to fight the COVID 19 pandemic to a standstill.
The commissioner of police, therefore, wish to use this medium to remind all religious leaders that the ban on all forms of gathering; be it social or religious is still in force. He also admonished all and sundry to cooperate with the government in its efforts to make the state coronavirus-free.
