The General Overseer of Jesus Reign Family Church, Apo, Pastor U Uden, was on Sunday arrested by the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) enforcement team for flouting an order on public gatherings to avoid the spread of Coronavirus (COVID-19).
According to the FCTA, despite the presence of the team, Uden continued the service while the team waited till the end of the service to avoid confrontation.
The FCTA also shared a video showing the Chairman of the team, Ikharo Attah, delivering a speech in the presence of Uden and his church members, before he was arrested.
Attah said: “You have violated and you have broken the rules. And you have done what is not appropriate.
“On Friday, we shut down some mosques at Kubwa. Today, we went around and said there should not be gatherings and we understand clearly well that you understand the holy books clearly well.
“When the Messiah Jesus was asked question by the Pharisees about Czar. He said to them to give what belongs to Czar to Czar. And when Apostle Paul wrote to the Church of God that abided in Rome in Romans 13:1-2, he told them to be subject to all authority for they are being ordained by God. I know you understand that very clearly.
“We said people should sit down and stay at home. And if they sit at home, whatever prayer they want to offer can be offered. That means that our prayers can be heard anywhere.”
Uden, who nodded as Attah spoke, kept wiping his face with a handkerchief.
Attah added: “What you are doing is a contravention. It is a breach of the rule.
“And as a people under God living and enforcing the law for such a time as this, we will do what is appropriate.
“You will come with us for explanations.”
After the speech, security operatives then led Uden and a woman into a police vehicle.
FCTA Enforcement Team arrests self-styled General Overseer of Jesus Reign Family church, Apo, Pastor U Uden for violating ban on places on worship.
Despite the presence of the team he continued the service while the team waited to avoid confrontation. He was arrested thereafter pic.twitter.com/CMejmVNuun
— Official FCTA (@OfficialFCTA) March 29, 2020