Nigeria: Police officials have rescued over 77 people, including minors, from a church where they were bounded in the southwestern state of Ondo.
A few of them are assumed to have been there for over three months.
A police spokesperson stated that many of them were told to anticipate the Second arrival of Jesus Christ in April and had ditched school to witness the event.
The police raid came after a mother complained that her children were missing, and she believed that they were in the church.
Police officials stated that they are investigating the suspected mass kidnapping after the raid on the Whole Bible Believers Church located in the Valentino area of Ondo Town.
David Anifowoshe, the pastor of the Pentecostal church and his deputy, have been arrested, while the victims have been held in the care of the authorities.
Funmilayo Odunlami, the police press officer, stated that preliminary investigations suggest that Pastor Josiah Peter Asumosa, who is an assistant pastor in the same church, was the one who to tell members that Rapture will be held in April, but later stated it has been altered to September 2022 and said the young individuals to obey only their parents in the Lord.”
She added that police rescued 34 children, including eight teenagers and 43 adults.
The Second Coming is considered to be a Christian belief in the return of Jesus Christ after his Biblical ascension to Heaven. Rapture means Christian believers will be taken to Heaven during the Second Coming.
Anxiety has been high among Christians in the state following a deadly attack on another church.
Around 50 individuals were killed in a mass bomb and shooting attack at St Francis Catholic church in the town of Owo last month.
Federal authorities doubt the Islamic State West Africa Province was responsible for the massacre.
