Assemblies Of God Church Members Clash In Enugu

PHOTO: Assemblies of God Church, Mount Street, Enugu


MEMBERS of two factions in an Assemblies of God Church in Enugu
clashed during service on Sunday.

The incident occurred at the church premises on Mount Street in the
Awkunanaw area of Enugu.

It was learnt the church had been locked for two months after a bloody
clash between the factions over the alleged transfer of the senior
pastor.

Southern City News also gathered that the two factions were church
members loyal to the Senior Pastor, Reverend Amaechi Agbo, and those
backing another pastor, Reverend Nathan Udeze, who was said to have
been posted to the branch to take over from Agbo.

The disagreement between the two factions, which was said to be linked
to the leadership tussle at the church's national headquarters, led to
the intervention of the police.

The police had reportedly locked the main worship hall of the church
building to avert further clashes over which pastor had the authority
to head the branch.

The two factions, it was gathered, had been holding parallel services,
simultaneously, within the premises of the church building.

Another clash reportedly occurred on Sunday when one of the factions
broke into the church building and held a service in the main hall.

Reverend Agbo, who insisted that he was not transferred out of the
branch, explained that the police was notified of the alleged invasion
of the church building by Reverend Udeze and his supporters.

Agbo said, "The crisis started on July 19, 2015 when one man in my
church, who claims to be a lawyer, imported Nathan Udeze to come and
overthrow me.

"We resisted them that day. The matter went to police and from there
to court; the police advised us to lock the church and we did. We
started worshiping outside.

"They went to court for us to open the church for them; they have not
allowed the court to decide the case and they came and broke the
church entrance contrary to the agreement we reached with the police
that we will wait for the court to decide.

"I called the DPO to inform him that these people have broken into the
church. I am still in charge of this place; I came here on 12th April
2013 and till date, I remain the Senior Pastor in charge of this
church branch. We are calling on law enforcement agencies to do the
needful and avert trouble this place."

But Reverend Udeze dismissed Reverend Agbo's claims and insisted that
he (Udeze) was the authentic Senior Pastor of the church.

Udeze said, "I was posted here as a Senior Pastor on the 9th of July,
2015, and the former pastor, who has been transferred became wild. He
refused to go on transfer. He began to mobilise sympathisers, taking
advantage of the national crisis."

Udeze denied breaking the sealed door, saying, "This one month time we
have been outside, we took to prayers, asking God to open this door.
This morning we came and we saw that the door was open and we came and
held church service. We have taken possession of what God has given to
us.

"We shall protect our church; nobody gave them the order to lock our
church. Neither the police nor the court did. We shall secure our
church, the women, the youths, the men, the children, all of them will
secure this church."

-PUNCH