Archbishop Benjamin urges govt to reconsider curfew on cross-over night

Founder of the Ressurection Praise Ministries Worldwide, Archbishop Samson Benjamin has called on the Federal Government to reconsider the curfew imposed on parts of the country, as it affects the yearly cross-over night services observed by Christians in Nigeria.

He enjoined President Muhammadu Buhari to have a rethink on the policy as it is capable of depriving Christians in the country of their fundamental rights to worship and free association.

It would be recalled that in the aftermath of lifting the lockdown imposed on the country, in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, the federal government had announced a curfew restricting movement from 12 mid night to 4pm.

But Archbishop Benjamin, who is also the president of the Foundation for World Peace, while speaking to journalist at a media parley in Lagos on Monday, noted that the curfew hours will deprive Christians, and other Nigerians from observing the annual traditional cross-over service held on 31st of December every year.

While noting the need for precaution to curb the spread of the covid-19 pandemic, the cleric also stated that government owes it a duty to the citizens to ensure that they are not deprived of their right to worship.

According to him, Christians during such services usually seek spiritual solutions to problems plaguing the nation and the world at large, and called on government to lift the curfew for that day to enable Nigerians pray and observe a traditional that has been ongoing for decades.

READ ALSO: Archbishop Benjamin writes Buhari, says accepting help from China is official invitation for upsurge of Covid-19

Benjamin suggested that instead of depriving Nigerians the opportunity to pray, government should rather encourage and ensure that covid-19 protocols put in place are strictly adhered to in churches.

He said, “this is a tradition we have been used to for many years, and government needs to respect the liberty of the people. They voted the government not to take away their freedom”.

“The politicians should remember that they will still go back to the same people when it’s time for elections again. And the people will remember these things and how their freedom was taken away from them”, he stated.

He continued, “So far, worship centres have been observing the protocols as directed by the government, in terms of spacing, hand washing and use of face masks and sanitizers.

“Government should allow Nigerians observe the cross-over night, as this will give them the opportunity to seek spiritual solutions to our problems as a nation, and pray to heal our land”.

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