Protest Escalates: Oyedepo’s Church Invaded, Valuables Worth Millions Stolen

Hoodlums reportedly stole chairs, musical instruments and other items worth millions of naira at a Living Faith Church in the Daura Local Government Area (LGA) of Katsina State.

Ireporteronline learnt that the incident happened on the first day of the nationwide protest against economic hardship.

Recall that some Nigerians had organised a 10-day nationwide protest termed #EndBadGovernance and had taken to the streets on Thursday August 1 to drive home their demands.

The protest which began peacefully on the first day later took a dramatic turn when some miscreants hijacked the exercise in some states, destroying and looting properties.

Pastor in charge of the Katsina church, David Sarki, in an interview with Punch on Sunday, frowned at the action of the mob, stating that service could not be held due to the incident.

He said, “We have two security personnel working in the church; one was on duty while the other was off. When the protest began around 10:00 am, the hoodlums just diverted to the church, many of them in Keke Napep (tricycle), broke the door and windows and entered the church auditorium.

“They took everything inside the church auditorium, including the wall digital clock, musical instruments, pulpit, pastor’s chairs, plastic chairs, a desktop computer at the reception, and a scoreboard where the accountant usually kept church documents. They scattered everything.

“Three churches were their target. They succeeded in invading the Living Faith Church and Deeper Life, but couldn’t gain access to the third one, which is the Anglican Church, because of the strong protection at the gate. We have informed the police and the army about it, and the police told us yesterday that they have made some arrests.

“I am surprised by this attack. When we are thinking about ending bad governance protests, which have now escalated to the invasion of churches, it is something that everyone should seriously condemn. It is not food that we store in the house of God; it is a place of worship. Why is it only a church? The government should come to the reality that they are serving humanity, and God will judge us all, whether political or religious leaders.

“My prayer for the perpetrators is that they should repent from what they are doing because for you to enter a church, a place of worship, is wrong, and you know you are not fighting, man. They should seek repentance. I know God is forgiving, and He will forgive them.”