No fewer than seven pastors have been arrested in Ebonyi State for holding service on Sunday contrary to the ban on religious gathering to forestall the outbreak of coronaviris in the state.
Governor David Umahi had, in the wake of the coronavirus disease outbreak in some parts of the country, banned burial, wedding, religious and other social gatherings within Ebonyi State and set up the State and Local Governments Taskforce to monitor and enforce compliance.
The state Commissioner for Border Peace and Internal Security, Mr Stanley Emegha, confirmed the arrest of the pastors on the telephone.
He said all the religious bodies in Ebonyi State were communicated about the ban on religious gatherings by the government.
He said, “I’m aware of the arrest and as I speak with you, they are in the police custody. Police may grant them bail because it is a civil matter but the state government must definitely take them to court. All the religious bodies were communicated through their leadership about the state government directives and they won’t say they didn’t hear it.”