A night vigil at a church was abruptly disrupted when a man armed with a cutlass forced worshippers to flee, causing panic and confusion among members of the congregation in the Ibeku area of Umuahia, Abia State.
The man reportedly stormed the church while praise and worship was ongoing, brandishing the weapon and angrily confronting those present.
He allegedly accused the worshippers of disturbing his peace with excessive noise and ordered them to vacate the premises.
The incident, which was captured in a video now circulating widely on social media, occurred during the night vigil and left many worshippers visibly shaken, although no injuries were reported.
Reacting to the incident, social media users condemned the man’s actions, stressing that disputes over noise should be resolved peacefully.
One commentator wrote, “This is traumatizing. Imagine attending a night vigil and someone storms in with a weapon.” Another user added, “Everyone deserves peace and quiet, but violence is never the solution.”
The incident has continued to generate debate online, with calls for tolerance, dialogue, and mutual respect between religious groups and residents to prevent similar occurrences in the future.
