The leadership of the Christ Apostolic Church Nigeria has urged churchgoers in all areas to refrain from riding in vehicles with their logos on them.
According to The PUNCH, the directive was given in a circular sent out to all pastors and CAC regional district directors on Friday by the church’s general secretary, Pastor E. Mapur.
In addition, the circular instructed each religious assembly to hire armed mobile police officers if they wanted to travel in vehicles with their logos.
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.”
The order was given following the September 29 kidnapping of roughly 25 church choir members in Ifon, Ondo State’s Ose Local Government Area, by armed persons.
Eight of those taken hostage were immediately liberated by the police, while the other three were released on Friday, October 6, after their families paid the abductors a ransom of N50 million.
