The presiding pastor of House on the Rock’s Abuja Chapter, Uche Aigbe, has been arrested by the Federal Capital Territory Police Command for brandishing an AK47 rifle while addressing the congregation, along with the church’s Chief Security Officer and Inspector Musa Audu, who gave Aigbe his gun.
The FCT Police Public Relations Officer, Josephine Adeh, confirmed the arrests in a statement on Monday, following reports that Aigbe’s remarks had incited the public. Aigbe had appeared on the pulpit with a gun, stating that he was ready for anyone seeking to cause trouble.
A video of the incident was shared online and sparked mixed reactions. The police have launched a discreet investigation into the matter and have advised the public to avoid breaking the law.
Meanwhile, the church stated on Monday that Aigbe has always shown exemplary leadership since he became the pastor of the church in 1999.
The church clarified that the gun was not loaded, and that the pastor was attempting to illustrate the message through his actions. They also stated that they do not support any form of violence.
The church stated that they will cooperate with the authorities throughout the investigation.
The statement read, “Pastor Uche has acknowledged the gravity of his actions and apologized unreservedly for them. House on the Rock rejects all forms of violence and stands for the good news gospel of Jesus Christ, which embraces peace and goodwill for all mankind. We are fully cooperating with the authorities during their investigations, and we will continue to internally engage to ensure this break in protocol does not happen again.””
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