The deputy commissioner of police and head of the intelligence response team (IRT), Adamu Muazu, has warned churches about the security risks of sharing testimonies and holding evening services without proper precautions.

Muazu issued this warning while presenting four suspects, all from the same congregation, who were accused of plotting to k!dnap a prophetess after she shared her testimony in Abuja.

He said that sharing testimonies in church about personal achievements “doesn’t conform to common sense and rationality,” and warned that not everyone at religious gatherings has good intentions.

Muazu further urged church and mosque leaders in remote areas to prioritise their members’ safety and offer clear security advice.

“You can’t go to a church located on the outskirts, attend evening prayers, leave in the evening and return home after sharing testimonies about what you have achieved in life,” he said.

“It doesn’t conform to common sense and rationality, especially in the midst of a gathering of people watching you, whom you assume are all men of God. No, everybody has their own motive for going to church.

“If a church or mosque is located on the outskirts, I believe the leaders of those institutions must also think about the security of their members and advise them adequately.

“If you must hold evening services, that must be guided by careful security considerations, particularly regarding the routes in and out of the church and its exits. You can’t have all members coming for evening prayers and saying things they shouldn’t be saying, then expect these underworld men not to plan against them.”

The officer also revealed that two of the suspects were the prophetess’s driver and the church’s head pastor’s bodyguard.

“Surprisingly, one of the suspects turned out to be her driver, who worked with her, while the second suspect is a bodyguard to the head pastor of the church. They are all members of the same church,” he added.