The Ebonyi State COVID-19 Taskforce on Sunday arrested five pastors in Afikpo North and Ohaukwu local government areas for allegedly holding Sunday church services in breach of the state’s lockdown order.
In Afikpo North, the task force led by the Technical Assistant to the State Governor, Otu Unyanma, confirmed the arrest of the Pastor of Dynamic Faith Church for allegedly violating the order.
Others arrested at Ohaukwu local government area were the officiating ministers of Church of Christ Agbaba, Ascension Church Agbaba, Methodist Church, Otuokpeye and Methodist Church in Ndegu-Eshi.
The task force team in Ohaukwu acting on a tip-off stormed the said churches and arrested the pastors and officiating priests.
The four officiating ministers have been handed over to the DPO, Ohaukwu Division, and will be arraigned on Monday.
There was, however, a mild drama at Amike-Abba in Ebonyi Local Government Area as the pastor of a Pentecostal church located in a school building and his members took to their heels on sighting members of the COVID-19 task force team.
It was gathered that immediately the team stormed the school premises, the pastor, his wife and other members of the church numbering over 30 took to their heels to escape arrest.
The team locked the premises and directed that such service must not be held in the church again until a directive lifting the lockdown
