Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, the governor of Ondo State has vowed to prosecute and punish some pastors that flouted his directives against holding church service on Easter Sunday as a way of curbing the spread of COVID-19.
Akeredolu who had earlier asked churches to hold services on Easter day rescinded his decision when a second COVID-19 case was recorded in the state.
Some pastors were caught on Sunday, April 12, 2020, holding services in some remote areas of the state by the state Monitoring Committee on COVID-19.
Five churches have been shut for violating Governor Akeredolu’s directives.
Some Pastors used several tactics by locking members inside the church but the taskforce team forced the door open and met worshippers inside.
One Pastor was said to have scaled the fence to escape but was eventually caught.
Akeredolu spoke through his senior special assistant on special duties and Strategies, Doyin Odebowale, who led the task force to enforce compliance.
Churches within Akure metropolis and Ondo town complied but services held in churches like Christ Apostolic Church, Oke-Lisa and (TAJEM) Irese, Assemblies of God Church, Olufoam and Gospel Church Ministry, Irese.
At some of the churches, the worshippers would run away to avoid being arrested even though some claimed ignorance of Governor Akeredolu’s directive.
Odebowale said those arrested would be prosecuted.
Odebowale noted that it was bad for religious leaders to disobey state government order.
