Presiding pastor of House on the Rock church in Abuja Uche Aigbe has been detained by the police over the possession of an AK-47 rifle.
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.
Inspector Musa Audu, the police officer whose gun Pastor Aigbe used has also been detained and would face an orderly trial.
