Gist
COVID-19: Church Members Beats Task Force Members For Stopping Service
Ekeng Inyang, the Special Assistant to Cross River State Governor, Ben Ayade, reports that members of the state COVID-19 Taskforce has been beaten.
According to a statement by Ekeng Inyang, the Special Assistant to Cross River State Governor, Ben Ayade, some members of the state Coronavirus Taskforce has been beaten by members of a Church which they tried to stop from hosting a service.
Inyang hinted that members of the Messiah Deliverance Salvation Ministry, situated at No 15 Fenton Street, Calabar in Cross River State dealt mercilessly with officials of the COVID-19 Task Force in the state while attempting to stop them from holding a Church service.
He, however, noted that one of the victims of the attack is a Special Adviser to the Government of Cross River State, adding that he is now receiving treatment in an unknown hospital in Calabar.
Inyang reports that the incident had happened at the time the men of the Task Force were ensuring total adherence to the Coronavirus lockdown order issued the Cross River State government.
His statement reads: “In enforcing the COVID-19 social distancing policy, members of Messiah Deliverance Salvation Ministry, a church located at No 15 Fenton Street, Calabar South Local Government Area, brutalized Taskforce members and left one badly injured.
“The victim who is also a Special Adviser in Cross River State is currently hospitalized as his head was torn open by the Church members who confronted the victim and his team members with violence for attempting to disrupt the service.”
Speaking further on the development, Hon. Ani Esin, State Security Adviser to the Governor in an interview with newsmen, narrated that the team of task force had earlier visited the Church auditorium to stop them from holding a service, “but they responded with violence.”
He said, “When we went to the Church to enforce the lockdown order of the State Governor, the Church members and workers reacted violently and got our people injured.”
“In the midst of the violence, the Pastor escaped and we are looking for him. Our members sustained minor injuries were three while one was severely wounded and he has been admitted in one of the health facilities in the State.
“We have arrested three workers and they are in detention and will be charged to court soon. We had never had such an attack and Churches have always corporate with us and obey all the guidelines,” he stated.
