The General Overseer of the Citadel Global Community Church formerly known as Latter Rain Assembly Pastor Tunde Bakare, has kicked against the reopening of churches by the Lagos state government.

Reacting to Governor Sanwo-Olu’s directive of reopening religious centres for services from August 7, the Pastor asked worshippers not to be “deceived by the government or religious leaders”.

He also disclosed that the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) projected that COVID-19 may reach its peak in August.

Pastor Bakare said in an online service;

“I have to appeal to you once again, please keep safe and do your best to stay alive. Do not let anyone, whether religious leader or governmental leader, to drive you like a sheep to the slaughter.

“If they (the government and the disease control authorities) said that the month of August is going to be the peak of the infection, why should they ask people to rush in (re-open the churches) again?

“Please keep safe and do your best to keep alive by keeping all the necessary rules. We know that by the grace of God this pandemic like the others before it has an expiry date. It shall not see our end. We shall see its end in the mighty name of Jesus.”