The Cross River State Police Command on Sunday halted a church service at the Chapel of Redemption, located within the University of Calabar campus, following a prolonged leadership dispute between two factions.
The Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of Operations, DCP Godwin Etim, led a tactical squad to the church and ordered the service to stop, citing fears that the disagreement could degenerate into violence.
The armed policemen reportedly stormed the church during the service, causing panic as worshippers reportedly scampered for safety.
Despite the police intervention, the two factions continued to lay claim to the leadership of the church, with the dispute reportedly centred on the succession to the leadership of the chapel.
Etim told the congregation that intelligence available to the police suggested that allowing the service to continue could result in deadly clashes.
He said the primary responsibility of the police was to protect lives and property, adding that the decision to stop the service was taken to prevent a possible breakdown of law and order.
“My duty first as a police officer is to protect lives and property. From what I have seen, if I allow the service to continue, it might lead to bloodshed in this church,” Etim told the congregation.
The police chief said he had engaged representatives of the different sides before ordering the suspension of the service.
According to him, he had spoken with the two reverends, the two chaplains and members of the board of trustees in an effort to understand the dispute and prevent a confrontation.
“I have spoken to the two Reverends, and the two chaplains.
“I had also spoken to the members of the board of trustees, and they all agreed that the service should end because of the tension,” he said.
Etim said the level of tension at the church was visible and warned that failure to intervene could lead to a physical confrontation between members of the rival groups.
“You can see by yourself what has been going on here, so if we don’t apply this strategy now, a fight might break out,” he said.
The Deputy Commissioner subsequently summoned representatives of the two factions to the state police command on Diamond Hill Road, Calabar, for a meeting aimed at resolving the crisis.
He directed the contending parties to report to the command by noon on Monday for dialogue.
“We’ve summoned all factions for dialogue tomorrow by 12 noon,” Etim said.
The intervention followed a lingering succession crisis involving Rev. Dr. Joseph Ushie and Rev. Israel Eyo, who are reportedly locked in a dispute over the leadership of the chapel.
The matter is already before the court, adding a legal dimension to the disagreement.
The latest development has raised concerns over the impact of the leadership dispute on worshippers and the wider university community.
The Chapel of Redemption is situated within the University of Calabar campus and serves members of the university community and other worshippers.
Leadership disputes in religious institutions can often become sensitive because they involve questions of authority, administration, worship schedules and control of church structures and resources.
In the case of the Chapel of Redemption, the disagreement has reportedly continued for some time, with the competing sides maintaining different positions on who has the authority to lead the church.
The police intervention on Sunday was therefore aimed at preventing the dispute from escalating into violence while efforts are made to resolve the matter.
The decision to deploy an armed tactical squad, however, reportedly caused panic among worshippers who were attending the service.
The presence of the policemen led to confusion as members of the congregation moved away from the area when the service was brought to an abrupt end.
The police said the action was based on security concerns rather than an attempt to determine which faction was legally entitled to lead the church.
By summoning the factions for dialogue, the command appeared to be seeking a temporary solution to the immediate tension while the parties pursue the legal process concerning the leadership dispute.
The police are expected to hear from representatives of the different sides during the meeting and assess the security situation surrounding the chapel.
The leadership dispute comes at a time when universities and other public institutions continue to place emphasis on maintaining peace and order within their premises.
A violent confrontation at the chapel could have affected not only worshippers but also students, lecturers, workers and other members of the university community.
The police therefore said their intervention was necessary to prevent a situation that could threaten lives or property.
Etim stressed that the decision was taken after consultations with key stakeholders involved in the dispute.
His comments suggested that the police were concerned that the existing tension could turn into a physical confrontation if both factions continued to operate at the same time.
The matter before the court is expected to determine the legal issues surrounding the succession crisis, but the police intervention is focused on preventing further tension while the legal process continues.
The command’s decision to bring the rival groups together for dialogue also indicates an effort to encourage a peaceful resolution to the immediate crisis.
For the worshippers, however, the suspension of the Sunday service means that religious activities at the chapel may remain affected until the dispute is addressed.
The police have not indicated how long the suspension will last or whether further restrictions will be imposed on activities at the chapel.
The command is expected to monitor developments closely following Monday’s meeting with the factions.
Meanwhile, members of the university community and other stakeholders are expected to encourage the parties to resolve their differences peacefully and respect the outcome of the legal process.
The immediate priority for the police remains preventing a breakdown of law and order and ensuring that the leadership disagreement does not result in violence.
The Monday meeting is therefore expected to provide an opportunity for both factions to present their positions and explore ways of reducing the tension surrounding the chapel pending the resolution of the court case.