[News] Ogun monarch, Eselu of Iselu, tells CAN to install CCTV in churches following attack at St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church in Owo

The Eselu of Iselu, Oba Akintunde Akinyemi, has written an open letter to the President of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Reverend Supo Ayokunle, over the killing of worshippers at the St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church in Owo, Ondo State.

In the letter released on Tuesday, June 7, Oba Akintunde advised that churches in the country should facilitate the deployment of closed-circuit televisions (CCTV) so as to constantly monitor movements into and out of worship centres to enable them sound the alarm to security agents when the need arises.

Oba Akinyemi emphasised that the CAN should also mandate all churches in the country to purchase and use security gadgets to put a stop to gruesome killings in worship centres.

The letter reads in part: “CAN President, it is important to note that the Owo tragedy is capable of putting an unprecedented fear into the minds of the children of God and this alone can make them to desist from going to worship centres to pray to God. To me, we must not allow things to degenerate to that level where Christians will desist from congregating to worship God.

“Your Eminence, it is, therefore, my sincere opinion that for the children of God to be courageous and feel safe, the Christian Association of Nigeria under your able leadership should put the safety of the children of God at the front burner. The Bible, in the book of Matthew 26:41, says ‘Watch and pray ….’ It is good to pray fervently, but the scripture also asks us to be watchful.

“In short, my admonition to the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) is that, as a matter of urgency, they should facilitate the deployment of some closed-circuit televisions (CCTV) to every church in the country so as to constantly monitor the movement into and out of worship centres.

“The video footage from the closed-circuit televisions (CCTV) will continually assist the church authorities to raise alarm to security agents when the need arises. The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) should also mandate all churches in the country to purchase and use security gadgets for their protection.

“It is my belief that once this technology and other security gadgets are deployed in all churches across the country, the children of God will boldly and regularly congregate to worship the Almighty God.”