Gunmen Vow To Ban Church Activities In South-East, Say Clerics Colluding With Political Leaders

Some gunmen who have identified themselves as the Sea Masters Volunteer Force have threatened to ban all church activities in the South-East region of the country, according to SaharaReporters.

The armed group alleged that clerics were working with politicians to commit crimes in the region. 

The armed men made the threat in a video on Thursday obtained by SaharaReporters.

In the video, the masked gun-wielding men numbering seven said they were determined to “sanitise the South-East” and end all radical Islamists.

One of the gunmen in the 2 minutes, 48 seconds video made inside an unknown forest said, “We are the Sea Masters Volunteer Force. We are determined to sanitise the eastern Nigeria and to end all radical Islamists, thereby destroying their Islamisation agenda.

"We salute all the volunteer forces in the region: the Niger Delta Volunteer Force, the Avengers, Biafra National Guard, Avier Vipers, the Ekumeku Warriors, Biafran Nations League, Eastern Security Network. We greet all volunteers fighting. We advise all freedom fighters to behave well. Let there be no rancour among us.

"We are warning all Fulani jihadists hiding in Bayelsa or Rivers states to leave now or we will move you out by force. The Christian Association of Nigeria, your actions are no longer funny. Evil politicians are now working with pastors. Imagine Governor Wike (Nyesom of Rivers State) vomiting rubbish in a church and up till now, no condemnation from any church. If this rubbish persists, we are going to ban all church activities in the east.”

WATCH: Gunmen Vow To Ban Church Activities In South-East, Say Clerics Colluding With Political Leaders

FULL VIDEO: https://t.co/M1CbryNJTZ pic.twitter.com/hxhDmwKI6a

— Sahara Reporters (@SaharaReporters) May 13, 2022