Fumigation: We’ll Resist Extortion Of Churches, Says Osun CAN

– Extortioners Not From Govt- Commissioner 

The Christian Association of Nigeria in Osun State has frowned on the alleged harassment and extortion of churches in the state by some officials of the state government. 

The Chairman of CAN in Osun State, Bishop Amos Ogunrinde, told THE WHISTLER  in an interview on Wednesday that some government officials had been going round churches in the state demanding certificate of fumigation or payment of between N50,000 and N70,000 for fumigation.

Ogunrinde, who said the association would resist the alleged extortion of churches, explained that it was not part of the agreement they reached with the state government before churches were reopened. 

He stated that churches  were asked to fumigate their buildings and environment but they were not asked to pay to the Ministry of Environment to carry out the exercise for them.

He said, ” It is true that some government officials have been going round churches in some parts of the state asking them for certificates of fumigation or payment of between N50,000 and N70,000 to fumigate their churches. 

” I have received  calls in my capacity as the CAN chairman from churches in Odo Otin Local Government Area; from Isokan Local Government and from Ife. They said some government officials were demanding certificate of fumigation. But that was not part of our agreement before churches were reopened. 

” They are going round to embarrass churches even during services asking for certificates  of fumigation. I led the Christian community in the state to the meetings with the state government and our agreement is that CAN should mobilise their member churches to fumigate their buildings and premises.

“We passed the information to the churches and they started doing that because we are law abiding and responsible people. So, why should the government send officials to go round and ask churches to produce certificates  of fumigation? 

“I called the Deputy Governor ( Benedict Alabi) on the telephone and also the Chief of Staff to the Governor and they told me they were not aware of that but they would find out. I called them two times each but they could not  give me any reason and promised that they would still find out. Till now they have not found out. When you see something like that you would understand that they were not the ones who commissioned them but they cannot say it.

“So, we have told our members not to allow anybody to force them to pay to the  state government for fumigation. If they have members doing the same business, they should engage them and ensure that the fumigation is properly done. But any church that wants to use the state Ministry of Environment is free to do that.”

“We did not agree with the state government to send their officials to fumigate churches. We see this as taking undue advantage of COVID-19 to extort Christians in the state but will resist it.”

However, the Commissioner for Information in Osun State, Funke Egbemode, when contacted said the state did not send any officials to demand money for fumigation.

She said, ” Those churches should disregard those coming to them. We are already running public  announcements on radio stations to that effect.  Anybody who comes  to ask them to pay N50,000 or N70,000 for fumigation or decontamination is not from the state government. They should disregard them.”