Celestial church sacks guard, apologises for attacking PUNCHman

The Celestial Church of Christ, Sharon parish, has apologised to PUNCH Newspapers after members of the church, alongside a security guard, one Rotimi, brutalised a PUNCHman, Deji Lambo, on the premises of the church on Mobolaji Benson Street, Lowa, Igbooluwo, Ikorodu, Lagos State.

A delegation of the church consisting of the Public Relations Officer, CCC World Evangelism Council, Senior Evangelist Oludare Abolurin; the CCC Sharon Parish’s spokesperson, Akin Adesanya; and Rotimi, visited PUNCH Place, Magboro, Ogun State, last Wednesday to apologise.

A letter titled, ‘Letter of Apology – Re: Mr Dimeji Lambo’, signed by the Chairman, Parochial Committee, Adeleke Oduwole, and co-signed by the Evangelist-in-Charge of the church, Senior Evangelist S.O. Sofowora, was also submitted, as the head of the delegation, Abolurin, affirmed that Rotimi had been relieved of his duties following the unprovoked assault.

The letter read in part, “Your staff member, Mr Deji Lambo, had in the course of his legitimate duty visited our church facility on Monday, November 7, 2022.

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“Mr Lambo had visited in good faith to gather further accurate information on an electrocution accident that involved a worker of an entertainment equipment leasing company contracted to provide sound equipment during one of the programmes lined up to commemorate the parish’s 2022 Adult Harvest programmes.

“Unfortunately, there was a ‘breakdown of information’ as totally wrong message was conveyed over the phone, quoting Mr Lambo as saying “the family of the deceased petitioned Punch Newspapers to carry out the exercise.”

“Coincidentally, the deceased family members were privy to the phone conversation as they were with the senior official that was called.”

It further explained that this enraged the aggrieved family members and they said the reporter (Lambo) was a thief, and that they should hold him because his plan was to extort money from the church.

The letter read in part, “This led to an argument as Mr Lambo was questioned and a security officer in the church slapped him. The action of the said security officer was totally uncalled for; it is against the church’s ethics and rules of his engagement.

“It is uncivilised and barbaric to assault a press officer. The church as a responsible organisation regrets this very unfortunate incident and we send our unreserved apologies to the entire management and Mr Lambo.”