Babatunde, who is married to a Filipina, had turned his residence into a church named Deliverance Power Center Ministries.
A Nigerian Pastor, Hassan Babatunde, has been arrested by the Filipino police for holding prayer meetings with his followers in his residence.
Babatunde held prayer meetings on Sunday at his home on in the village of Barangay Bugo and he was arrested on Monday.
According to Nigeria Abroad, Police Major, Evan Viñas disclosed that the followers who joined the prayer meetings led by Pastor Babatunde known as ‘anti-vaccine’ Pastor violated the enhanced community quarantine (EQC) guidelines set by the National Inter-Agency Task Force for the city, Cagayan de Oro.
Viñas said police officers went to the residence of the pastor where the meetings were held in Phase III, Block-19, Lot-35, Villa Trinitas, Barangay Bugo after receiving complaints from neighbours and Barangay officials.
He said Babatunde, who is married to a Filipina, had turned his residence into a church named Deliverance Power Center Ministries.
“Only virtual religious gatherings are allowed under ECQ guidelines,” Viñas said.
Viñas said additional charges would be filed against Babatunde for allegedly resisting the presence of the police officers.
He said Babatunde had been detained at a police station in Barangay Bugo.
The Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) has placed Cagayan de Oro under the strictest enhanced community quarantine following a surge of COVID-19 cases and the discovery of at least 13 Delta variant cases of the coronavirus.