By Victor Ayeni
The leadership of the Christ Apostolic Church Nigeria has called on members of the church across districts to avoid travelling in their branded vehicles.
The church’s General Secretary, Pastor E. Mapur, made the call in a circular issued to all CAC regional district supervisors and pastors on Friday.
The circular further directed each church assembly to engage the services of armed mobile police officers if they wished to travel in their branded vehicles.
It read, “The rate at which kidnapping incidents of church members, especially in branded vehicles/buses of the church, has become a source of concern to the church authority. The most recent is the incident of the Christ Apostolic Church Oke-Igan choir, whose members were abducted in Ondo State.
“I am directed to mandate every assembly in Christ Apostolic Church that henceforth any Assembly/District/Zone/DCC that wishes to travel in their branded buses/vehicles must ensure that the services of armed mobile police officers are engaged.
“The church cannot afford to see its members experiencing such a traumatic situation again. We urge all ministers in CAC to take this instruction with every seriousness. May the Lord continually protect all members of the church and indeed Nigerians.”
This directive came after about 25 choristers of the church were kidnapped by gunmen on September 29 at Ifon, at Ose Local Government Area of Ondo State.
While the police rescued eight of those abducted within a few hours, the remaining members regained their freedom on Friday, October 6, after their families paid a sum of N50m ransom to the abductors.
