The Intelligence Response Team, Force Intelligence Bureau, Garki, Abuja has detained the presiding pastor of House on the Rock in Abuja, Pastor Uche Aigbe, for carrying an AK-47 while preaching in the church on Sunday, February 12.
The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command identified and also detained the officer who handed over his AK-47 rifle to Pastor Uche Aigbe.
Aigbe, the presiding pastor of House on the Rock church, Abuja pastor was earlier reported to have been by the invited for interrogation for wielding a weapon while preaching on the pulpit on Sunday.
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According to reports, the officer, Inspector Musa Audu scheduled on church duties released his rifle to the pastor for illustrative purposes without official consent from his superior.
Pastor Aigbe caused a stir on Sunday when he mounted the pulpit carrying a rifle during the church’s second service.
He addressed the congregation with the gun slung over his shoulder saying, “Some people are looking for my trouble. And I came here prepared.
“Today, there are some pastors with gift of divination who go about ripping people. This is why we should carry our guns and defend ourselves.
“I will particularly be coming very soon for some of you sleeping in the church…”
It was not immediately known if the gun was loaded.
Reacting to the incident, police spokesperson Olumuyiwa Adejobi said in a tweet on Sunday that the pastor has a case to answer.
Mr Adejobi added that the gun falls under prohibited firearms and no one is allowed to carry it except an officer of the law.
“If it’s true, the pastor will have a case to answer. AK47?? It falls under prohibited firearms in Nigeria, and no one bears it except an officer of the law, and not all of them have the right, only selected security operatives, but no individual has the right to bear it,” Adejobi tweeted.
Consequently, the officer was said to have been detained by the command and would face an orderly room trial, Punch reports.
When interrogated, Audu told the police that he only offered the weapon to Pastor Aigbe because he wanted to use it for illustration.
The Commissioner of Police, Federal Capital Territory Command, Sadiq Abubakar, has made a recommendation to the Inspector-General of Police, Usman Baba, to dismiss Inspector Audu.
