The police have warned churchgoers against publicly flaunting their achievements during testimonies, following the foiling of an alleged kidnap plot targeting a female cleric in Abuja.
Four members of the same church were arrested over an alleged plan to abduct Prophetess Elizabeth, who was reportedly marked for kidnapping after sharing a testimony about her achievements.
The Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of the Intelligence Response Team, Adamu Muazu, issued the warning on Thursday while parading the suspects.
According to him, the suspects allegedly planned to strike after an evening church service, raising concerns about the safety of worshippers who attend late-night prayers.
Muazu urged Christians to be cautious about the personal information they disclose in church, warning that not everyone sitting in a congregation necessarily has good intentions.
He cautioned worshippers against assuming that everyone who attends church is genuinely committed to religious worship.
“Everybody has his own motive of going to the church,” the police chief warned.
He also challenged church leaders operating in isolated locations to take the security of their congregations more seriously, particularly when services extend into the night.
Muazu said churches must assess the security of their surroundings and ensure worshippers can safely enter and leave their premises.
He stressed that churches holding evening services should pay special attention to access roads, entrances and exit routes to prevent criminals from exploiting security gaps.
The police chief expressed concern that the alleged plot involved people who were already close to the intended victim.
“Surprisingly, this happened to be her driver, who worked with her. And the second suspect is a bodyguard to the head church pastor. They are all members of the same church,” he said.
The revelation has raised fresh concerns about the safety of worshippers who may unknowingly share personal information with people capable of exploiting it for criminal purposes.
The police urged church leaders to strengthen security arrangements and advise members to exercise caution, especially when leaving church premises after evening services.
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