AK-47: Abuja pastor apologises, says using firearm to illustrate sermon ‘not thoughtful’

Uche Aigbe, the presiding pastor of House on the Rock Church in Abuja, has apologised for mounting the pulpit with an unloaded AK-47 rifle.

Speaking during church service on February 19, Aigbe said the incident has left him disappointed in himself.

He said he should have thought of the consequences, adding that such an incident will not happen again.

“This morning, I stand before you with a deep sense of sobriety and contrition as I humbly address the event of last Sunday at the second service which most of us were a part of, where I used an unloaded firearm to illustrate some texts from the Bible regarding the good fight of faith,” Aigbe said

“Of course, like you all know, it has caused a lot of embarrassment and pain to the entire church family, to you House on the Rock, the Refuge, to my immediate family and, of course, to myself.

“The decision that I made to use that firearm was not thoughtful. It has left me disappointed in myself. My action has been very traumatic for me, my family, and, I am sure, for many of us. And I trust that we will never ever experience such again.”

Aigbe added that he would be withdrawing from his pastoral assignment to “take some time to pray, to meditate, to reflect and also to heal from all of the things that happened”.

BACKGROUND

On February 12, pictures surfaced on social media showing Aigbe with an AK-47 rifle while preaching.

“Some people are looking for my trouble. And I came here prepared. Today, there are some pastors with the gift of divination who go about ripping people off,” Aigbe told worshippers.

“This is why we should carry our guns and defend ourselves. I will particularly be coming very soon for some of you sleeping in the church.”

Reacting to the incident, Muyiwa Adejobi, force spokesperson, said the police would investigate, adding that the AK-47 rifle falls under prohibited firearms in Nigeria.

Shortly after, the FCT police command announced the arrest of the pastor, Musa Audu, identified as the police inspector said to have handed over his rifle to the cleric, and the church’s chief security officer.