The last is yet to be heard in the lingering leadership crisis bedeviling the Assemblies of God Church as policemen with amoured tanks and other sophisticated weapons on Sunday besieged one of its branches on 27, Mount Street, Awkunanaw, Enugu.

The policemen, who were said to have arrived the church early in the morning while the service was ongoing, allegedly started beating people up, arrested some few members who they accused of being thugs and locked up the church.

According to a worshipper, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, “they just entered the church and started beating people up. They chased everyone away and arrested some people who they said were thugs in the church. There were so many policemen. We were all afraid. When I wanted to lock the door of the church, they started slapping me.

“I couldn’t even count them. They even came with an amoured tank and other big guns. We were just in service worshiping God. Some were at the back of the church while some were worshiping inside.

On what led to the police invasion, he said: “The problem started when the court gave a judgement that the group loyal to Prof Paul Emeka should be worshipping in the morning, from 6am to 10am while those who belong to Rev. Chidi Okoroafor should start their own service by 11am. This was just to ensure that there is peace.

“Before long, those who were asked to worship later in the day began making trouble and succeeded in chasing the other group out of the church. So, we were worshiping outside until we went back to court and the court directed that we continue worshiping in the morning as usual. Today is just the second Sunday we are worshiping inside the church and this happened.

“Even when these people were inside, they still wanted the other group to stop worshiping outside because they were making noise. The police said that the two factions should vacate the premises of the church. The pastor of the church could not be reached for comment as he was said to be held up at the police headquarters. (Daily Sun)

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