By Emmanuel Awari-Jalingo
The leadership of the United Methodist Church Nigeria (UMCN) says that it has not received any official report of the arrest of its members or clergy from the ATC axis in violation of the Governor’s Order.
This is in response to an article reported by Taraba News Online regarding the arrest of individuals at the church’s premises in Kasuwan Bera, ATC Jalingo, on June 8, 2025.
The original article, titled ‘Taraba Police Arrests Factional Church Pastors, Members over Violation of State Order’, suggested that members of the UMCN were apprehended for violating a state executive order restricting the opening of church auditoriums.
In its statement, the UMCN clarified that the individuals arrested during the incident were not affiliated with the church.
The church emphasized that neither its members nor clergy were involved in the arrest, reaffirming its commitment to following the laws of the land, including the Governor’s Executive Order on public gatherings.
The statement further urged the Taraba News reporter to exercise greater care and professionalism in their reporting, ensuring proper verification of facts before publication.
The church’s leadership also expressed confidence in the legal process and reassured members to remain calm, emphasizing that only those who defy lawful orders would face repercussions.
The United Methodist Church remains dedicated to promoting peace, order, and obedience to authority in alignment with its teachings.
Full text of the statement reads,
The attention of the United Methodist Church Nigeria Episcopal Area has been drawn to a publication by Taraba News on the arrest of some individuals at the church premises in Kasuwan Bera, ATC Jalingo, by officers of the Nigeria Police Force on June 8, 2025.
The report, captioned ‘Taraba Police Arrests Factional Church Pastors, Members over violation of State Order’, published in their today’s June 10, 2025 news paper edition, suggesting that some members of the UMCN/GMCN were arrested by security personnel for allegedly violating the Executive Order that restricts the opening of church auditoriums, issued by the Governor of Taraba State.
We would like to clarify that the individuals arrested yesterday during worship at the mentioned church premises are neither members nor clergymen of the United Methodist Church. As law-abiding citizens, the members of our Church uphold the laws of the land and would never engage in any act of disobedience to the Governor’s Executive Order. We remain committed to abiding by the law at all times in the interest of peace and order.
The leadership of the United Methodist Church Nigeria (UMCN) has not received any official report of the arrest of its members or clergy from the ATC axis in violation of the Governor’s Order.
In light of this, we kindly urge the reporter from Taraba News to exercise greater professionalism in their reporting and ensure that necessary clarifications are made before publishing news stories intended for public consumption.
The United Methodist Church in Nigeria continues to prioritize peace and obedience to constituted authorities, as is consistent with the teachings of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
We encourage our members to remain calm and to avoid panic, as it is only those who choose to disobey lawful orders who will face the full consequences of their actions.
Thank you for your attention.
Signed
United Methodist Church Nigeria Episcopal Area Media Team.