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Tony Osauzo, Benin
The General Overseer of the City of God Rest Ministry, Pastor Destiny Eguavoen, was on Sunday beaten up by youths of Urora community in Edo State for flouting the community’s order to stop church service before 8am.
The Chief Priest of the community, Chief Ugiagbe Aiwaguore, Ohen Ugbodeyaen of Urora, was said to have ordered owners of shops in the community and residents to stay indoors and churches to end their Sunday service before 8 am for the celebration of the community’s annual Ikpoleki festival.
But in reaction, the state’s Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Bishop Oyenude Kure, kicked against the order, saying it violated the freedom of worship as enshrined in the Nigerian constitution.
He, therefore, asked churches in Urora to go about their normal church service on Sunday, saying that the restriction on movement was unacceptable to the church as the body of Christ.
But to enforce the community’s order, the youths were said to have moved from street to street to ensure compliance, even as shops were closed and some churches hurriedly ended their service while others refused to open for business.
Trouble, however, started at the City of God Rest Ministry, where the youths were peeved that the pastor was still preaching as at 9am and they, consequently, disrupted the service.
The youths reportedly used chairs as weapon to beat anyone in sight, as the church members were said to have scampered for safety.
Pastor Eguavoen told journalists yesterday that he was badly injured during the attack, disclosing that he was at the police headquarters and that the leadership of CAN has promised to take over the matter.
