Police from the FCT Command reportedly fired tear gas to disperse Church members on Sunday following the outbreak of violence over what worshippers of a church in Abuja called legalisation of practices alien to christian culture.
Sources said trouble started at the United Methodist Church, Durumi, when members engaged in a fight over the decision of the parent church, said to be based in America, to impose certain practices which the Abuja Church goers were not confortable with.
“The parent church in the US legalised some practices that are not part of our culture.
“Some elders kicked against it and demanded that the church in Nigeria should pull out, and give the church another name.
“Another set of elders kicked against the move. This created a faction in the church and this fight is the outcome,” a source said.
Some elders of the church are vehemently against imposition, legalising of such practices and calling for a breakup from the parent church.
However, the presiding pastor was said to have kicked against the breakup with the backing of some other elders. Hence a fight ensued, leading to the police being invited to quell the violence.
During the service, the pastor had reportedly said he and some elders would head to the court to stop those calling for a break up of the church. He also vowed to ensure the church remains with the parent headquarters.
This led to heated arguments and the church service ending abruptly with fighting between members, and the police were called in.
Eyewitnesses disclosed that on arrival at the scene, police operatives made efforts to stop the fight. But when things got out of hand, tear gas had to be fired to disperse the fueding members.
The police later whisked away some elders of the church with a view to conducting investigation.
FCT Police Command Public Relations Officer, SP Josephin Adeh, confirmed the incident.
She noted that the Command CP, Benneth Igweh invited all the elders of the church to
the Command over the incident.
