Why AK-47-bearing pastor was arrested and Movie Actors Don't Get Arrested

The Federal Capital Territory Police Command has verified the arrest of Uche Aigbe, the presiding pastor of House on the Rock, Abuja Chapter, for brandishing an AK47 gun while addressing the audience.

The command also verified the arrest of Musa Audu, the church's Chief Security Officer, for surrendering his weapons to Aigbe.

In a statement issued on Monday, the FCT Police Public Relations Officer, Josephine Adeh, confirmed the development.

“The FCT Police Command on the heels of intelligence arrested one pastor, Uche Aigbe, of House on the Rock cathedral, Abuja, and two others." Adeh added.

Continuing, Adeh stated: “The pastor, whose message and demonstrations were tagged inciting by various media and social media users, was arrested in the early hours of Monday, February 13, 2023, alongside the church’s Chief Security Officer and one Inspector Musa Audu, who was on duty on the said day and had unprofessionally released his rifle to the said pastor without permission or recourse to police authority.

“While the discrete investigation has commenced, members of the public are urged to shun actions or utterances that are in breach of extant laws as the law is trite and all violators will be adequately sanctioned.”

According to reports, Aigbe made a sensation when he ascended the podium with an AK47 -47 and addressed the crowd, indicating he was ready for violence.

“Today, there are some pastors with the gift of divination, who go about ripping people. This is why we should carry our guns and defend ourselves. I will particularly be coming for some of you sleeping in the church,” Aigbe remarked, eliciting laughter as he further urged the congregation to guard against "false teachers.".

The pastor's actions were recorded on camera and shared online, eliciting conflicting reactions from Nigerians.

Following a report by an online publication that Pastor Uche Aigbe of House on the Rock Church ascended the pulpit with an AK47 gun, the police swung into action to have him investigated.

A discreet inquiry eventually found that on the same day, a police officer, Inspector Musa Audu, while on church duty, reportedly surrendered his firearm to the pastor without authorization.

"Audu has now been detained alongside the pastor. But the FCT CP has submitted a recommendation to the IG for Audu’s dismissal, and he will be facing an orderly room trial soon,” Punch reported.

A statement released by the church in part read, “Without hesitation, pastor Uche has acknowledged the gravity of his actions and apologised unreservedly for them.

“As a church, House on the Rock rejects all forms of violence and we stand in the good news gospel of Jesus Christ which embraces peace and goodwill for all mankind.

“We are cooperating fully with the authorities as they carry out their investigations into the incident, and we will continue to engage internally to ensure this break in protocol does not happen again.”

Why AK-47-bearing pastor was arrested and 'Movie Actors Don't Get Arrested'

Following the arrest, some have questioned why the arrest had to 'target a pastor' while film actors and producers aren't. "Actors the use same gun act film e reach pastor turn una wan investigate," a Nigerian who responded to zeeny360.com questioned.

However, the Inspector General of Police, Usman Baba had issued an order to arrest and punish skit and film producers who wear police uniforms without permission.

The instruction was contained in a statement made on Sunday by Force Public Relations Officer Olumuyiwa Adejobi.

• Inspector General of Police, Usman Baba

The statement also condemned the unlawful selling of police equipment and supplies by traders in shops and open outlets that are not licensed or recognized by the police administration.

According to the statement, the IGP is also concerned about the 

“demeaning manner in which movie makers and skit makers portray the police institution in their movies and skits, using the police uniform without recourse to the provision of Section 251 of the Criminal Code law, and Section 133 of the Penal Code Law which criminalise such unauthorised use with accompanying necessary sanctions.

“The IGP, therefore, charged all commands and formations, the IGP Monitoring Unit, Provost Marshals, and X-Squad, to arrest and immediately prosecute, in accordance with the law, all persons or groups of persons engaging in the illegal sales of police uniforms and accoutrements within their jurisdictions, while film or skit makers who portray the Nigeria Police Force officers in a bad light, without applying for, and being duly issued a permit letter for such portrayals, to desist with immediate effect or face the full wrath of the law.

“The IGP further reiterates the commitment of the Force to guaranteeing compliance with the law, as the Force Public Relations Officer has been charged with the task of ensuring prompt authorisation for all applications for approvals of usage of police items in movies, in tandem with the extant laws and which will portray good values, impress positively on the Nigerian public, add value to our system, provide police officers with modern innovations to actively carry out policing duties and on-screen role models who would influence their lives and career; and consequently improve security mechanisms in Nigeria.

“The Inspector-General of Police strongly believes that such sanity in movie production, regulation of sales, possession, and usage of police uniforms and accoutrements will definitely impact positively on resuscitating moral values and correcting wrong perceptions and ideologies towards commissioning of crimes in our society.

“It is obvious that this step will surely curb proliferation of police kits, uniforms and accoutrements and eventually reduce police impostors-induced crimes in our society”.