Crisis Rocks Assemblies Of Church As Uniform Men Storm Church, Assault Pastor, Wife, Son
*As Royal Rangers teargas Pastor, wife and son
By Matthias Ogbagah
UGHELLI – Crisis loom in Assemblies of God Church, Otovwodo branch, Ughelli, Ughelli North local government area of Delta State as uniformed men, Royal Rangers (Assemblies of God Church paramilitary body) stormed the church located along Agbarha road after slaughter road junction, Ughelli and allegedly humiliated the presiding pastor and his family.
The pastor identified as Rev. Anthony Akasa and his wife, Mrs Grace were allegedly teargas by Royal Rangers, a security arm of the church it was learned.
A sources close to the church indicate that trouble started as the leadership of the Assemblies of God church Otovwodo-Ughelli wanted the presiding pastor of the church Rev. Anthony Akasa transferred from the branch.
According to the Rainbow Newspaper source, the wife of the pastor was accused of witchcraft because of a container of face powder found in the church pastor’s office.
Our source disclose further that the accused pastor’s wife felt bad and she went to the church to cry and pour out her heart to God like the Biblical Hannah.
“To prove her innocence, the wife of the pastor went to the church alter with tears and supplications to God and in the process the cleaner engaged by the church held that it was her child that was playing with the powder”.
According to her, the powder belong to one of the church choristers who forgot it at the church and the church cleaner picked it and keep it for safe keeping before her little baby pick it and playing with it.
“With this new revelation, the pastor called the church elders to clearing them of the circumstance surrounding the power found in his office as they (church elders) has notified the headquarters of Assemblies of God Church through a written petition.
According to our source, upon receiving the petition the church authorities and schedule a meeting for the Sunday for both parties to appear before it but instead of the leadership to listen to the pastor, Royal Rangers (Assemblies of God Mopol) attacked the pastor and his wife and his children shortly after the church service.
“The pastor who had served the church for nearly four decades has only four years to retire before the unfortunate incident”.
Speaking to journalists at Ughelli, an executive member of the National Youth Council of Nigeria, NYCN who spoke on anonymous condition condemned the attack.
Hear him, “From what I have put together is that the pastor is having a runny battle with the council of elders of the church and they are not happy and comfortable with his stay in the branch.
“There are people in the branch, they should allow the man to work and retire because he is close to retirement and for the years he has put into the ministry.
“Honestly it is unfortunate that the incident happened in this manner and there are people posting the videos online.
“The state chairman of NYCN have ordered for discreet investigations over the role of Royal Rangers because Rangers is one of our affiliate organizations and we cannot allow their actions to disgrace us.
“I will get back to you after the investigation but for the now no further comment on the until when we are through”, the source said.
Another source disclosed that the church has been under series of attacks in recent times as the church musical instruments were vandalized and catered away.
