A Chief Magistrate Court in the Federal Capital Territory FCT, Abuja has ruled that the Abuja House on the Rock Pastor seen with Illegal Firearm while Presiding, Uche Aigbe, has a criminal case to answer for the unlawful possession of prohibited firearms found in his possession.
The no-case submission made by the Pastor was dismissed by Chief Magistrate Abubakar Ismail on the ground that the objection to trial lacked merit and substance.
On February 12, pictures surfaced on social media showing pastor Aigbe with an AK-47 rifle while preaching. The church said the pastor used the gun to illustrate a message on “guarding your faith”.
Shortly after, the FCT police command announced the arrest of the pastor and Musa Audu, the police inspector said to have handed over his rifle to the cleric, and who is also the church’s chief security officer. Also charged to court were Promise Ukachukwu and Olakunle Ogunleye, who are all clerics of the church located within the Wuye District of Abuja.
Aigbe and his co-defendants had prayed the court to quash the charge against them for lack of incriminating evidence capable of warranting their trial and conviction.
However, delivering a ruling on Thursday, Abdulazeez Muhammad, alleged that the pastor made inciting and intimidating statements to his congregation, capable of raising unnecessary alarm or causing a breach of public peace.
Specifically, police alleged that Pastor Aigbe, by his action, committed an offense punishable under Section III of the Firearms Act (CAP F28, LFN 2004) and contravened Sections 97, 114, and 397 of the Penal Code. Aigbe has since apologized publicly for using an unloaded rifle to illustrate his sermon. According to him, the incident has left him “disappointed in himself“.