Authorities of the Celestial Church of Christ have issued a statement to debunk false reports, including videos that some people have posted on the Internet aimed at tarnishing the image of the church, after tragedy struck at CCC Overcomers Parish, Oke-Ira Nla, Ajah, Lagos, which almost claimed the life the Shepherd, Venerable Superior Evangelist [Prophet] James Aso and his assistant, Senior Evangelist Ayotunde Oladipupo.
The parish was burned down by an angry mob that also broke in and stole church equipment and valuables, while the New Moon Service of Thursday, 1st June, 2023.
The arson was triggered by the death of a Hausa man named Dogo who was contracted to evacuate the overflowing soak-away in the church premises. The deceased Hausa man also doubles as an Okada rider in the neighbourhood.
However, contrary to the false narrative making the rounds that the Parish was burnt because the deceased’s body was mutilated and human parts removed for rituals. Below are authenticated truths as confirmed by the police, parishioners, non-Hausa neighbours and the official media spokesman of the Celestial Church of Christ, Superior Evangelist Kayode Ajala.
The Facts:
– The deceased Hausa man known as Dogo was quite popular in the neighbourhood and was known for the job of evacuating overflowing soak–aways.
He also doubled as an Okada rider and it wasn’t the first time he’d been paid by the parish for such jobs. This time, he was paid for the job three days before the unfortunate incident.
– Dogo himself chose to do the job on the night of Thursday, 1st June, 2023. This was while the New Moon Service was in progress and the Parish Shepherd in Charge of the Parish, VSE Aso James, was busy in the inner altar as he was the Service Conductor.
– While carrying out the job he was paid for, Dogo slipped and fell into the soak-away.
The Assistant Shepherd of the Parish, Senior Evangelist Ayotunde Oladipupo, who was supervising Dogo’s work immediately tried to rescue Dogo and in the process, he also fell into the soak-away.
– Church members alerted by the shouts for help abandoned the Service and began a rescue operation for the two people that had fallen into the soak-away. The lifeless body of Dogo was eventually brought out, while the unconscious body of Oladipupo was also brought out of the soak-away. Both of them were rushed to the hospital where the lifeless body of Dogo was pronounced dead.
– The family of the deceased Hausa man, Dogo, took custody of his remains with all parts of the body intact.
– The Police also attest to the fact that no part of Dogo’s body was tampered with.
– The arson at the Overcomers Parish was carried out by an angry mob largely made up of ‘area boys’ and Okada riders who also attacked the Shepherd of the Parish, VSE Aso James, and inflicted grievous bodily harm on him.
– The Hausas in the neighbourhood are doing a house-to-house search, on a reprisal attack, looking for Celestial Church members with the intention to harm them. Many C.C.C. members in the neighbourhood have since abandoned their homes and gone into hiding.
– VSE James Aso (Shepherd) and Senior Evangelist Ayotunde Oladipupo (Assistant Shepherd) are presently hospitalised and in critical condition.
Members of the public should disregard any other narrative meant to tarnish the name and image of the Celestial Church of Christ Worldwide.
The Celestial Church of Christ is a Bible believing church focussed on evangelizing the world through the proclamation of the word – the good news of the Messiah Jesus Christ and of the Kingdom of God; in the mighty name of Jesus Christ, proclaiming deliverance to those bound by the shackles of Satan, healing the broken-hearted, the sick, the deformed, restoring hope to the hopeless and those who are bound, while reinforcing the faith of all – both feeble and strong in the unfailing righteousness and faithfulness of God Almighty and Jesus Christ, the Lord and Saviour.
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