Police warn churches over testimonies after foiled kidnap plot

The police have warned worshippers against publicly sharing personal achievements during church testimonies, following the foiling of a kidnap plot against a female cleric in Abuja.

The warning came after four members of a church were arrested over an alleged plot to kidnap Prophetess Elizabeth, who was reportedly targeted after sharing a testimony about her achievements.

The Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of the Intelligence Response Team, Adamu Muazu, gave the warning on Thursday while parading the suspects, saying the planned attack was to be carried out after an evening service.

Muazu urged church leaders, particularly those operating in isolated locations, to strengthen security arrangements and ensure the safety of members attending evening services.

He cautioned worshippers against assuming that everyone in a congregation had good intentions.

“You can’t go to a church located on outskirts and you go to evening prayers and closing in the evening, coming down to your home after making testimony of what you have achieved in life, you know?” he said.

He added, “It doesn’t conform with common sense and rationality in the midst of a gathering of people watching you, thinking that they are all men of God. No, everybody has his own motive of going to the church.”

The police officer urged church leaders to assess security risks around their premises and advise members on necessary precautions, especially when services ended late at night.

“If church has to be located on outskirts, I believe the runners of those institutions must equally think of the security of their members and must advise them adequately,” he said.

Muazu said churches holding evening services should pay particular attention to the security of routes leading to their premises and the entrances and exits.

“If you must hold evening services, that has to be guided with a lot of security observation of the routes in and out, exits of those churches in and out,” he added.

He expressed concern that some of the suspects allegedly involved in the plot were closely connected to the intended victim and the church’s leadership.

“Surprisingly, this happened to be her driver, who worked with her. And the second suspect is a bodyguard to the head church pastor. They are all members of the same church,” Muazu said.

The police warning followed concerns that information shared during religious gatherings could be exploited by people with criminal intentions, particularly when worshippers travel home after evening services.