There are really no-go areas these days for perpetrators of crimes. Even the Church and worship centres are not spared.

Unlike in the past when it was a taboo to steal in the church, these days, the worst of stealing takes place inside the church.

It could be said that Satan himself has entered into the worship arenas to desecrate the church and worship centres.

Nowadays, people go to the church to steal money, phones, car keys and other valuables.

In the past, church buildings and worship centres were regarded as sanctuaries where worshipers and their personal effects were protected.

In those days, people could afford to drop their hand bags, phones and other personal belongings to go ease themselves and return to meet such items intact.

Today, worshipers are warned to keep an eye on their items as the church is now a public place.

Worshippers nowadays lose their money, bags, phones, car keys while inside the church.

A lady was said to have lost a brand-new car she took to the church for the first time. She had put the key of the car in her handbag and stood up to pray. Someone sneakily picked the key and went to the parking lot and began to try the automatic key. The thief made away with the car to the consternation of the owner and other worshippers.

That is why it is now normal for women to clutch their hand bags while dancing or when going to the ladies.

Some observers said the issue has been there long before now, but is taking a more troubling and disturbing turn for many worshipers because of the growing insecurity across the country.

An Abuja-based cleric who spoke with BusinessDay on condition of anonymity said that many churches have taken it as a norm.

He also said that many have stopped reporting such cases to security agents because of the carefree attitude of the police in tackling such situation when reported in the first place.

However, a Lagos-based clergyman told BusinessDay that while the situation is troubling, it is also a wake up call on churches and their pastors to rethink their security architecture.

According to him, the era of just engaging an individual to stand at the gate is gone, and that churches must adopt different security approach in dealing with the situation.

?What will one man standing at the church gate without a gun or any weapon do? They will easily overpower and outrun him to steal whatever they want in the church,? Babatope Ilesanmi, a former chairman of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN) Ikeja Province said.

According to him, the situation also points to another issue that many of the churches and pastors have not paid keen attention to over the years.

Ilesanmi said the increase in the theft of church properties and equipment is also a pointer for churches to begin to think of insurance.

?Many of my pastor friends within Ikeja here have suffered losses running into millions of naira. One actually lost musical equipment running into about N10 million. Imagine what would have happened if that equipment were insured?? he asked.

The former chairman of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN) in the Ikeja Province of Lagos also disclosed that the recent interest in churches? musical equipment may be connected to the growing popularity of music among the young population of the country.

According to him, the growing interest in music creates a ready-made market for stolen musical equipment for those interested in setting up musical studios because the stolen equipment will come cheap.

Ilesanmi also cited a disturbing competition among churches wanting to outdo others musically as another reason musical equipment remain attractive for those breaking into the church.

He said the need to boost and grow musical department of the church have led some pastors or churches into buying equipment that might have been stolen from other churches.

Pascal Ifediba, senior pastor, Conquerors City International, in admitting to the increasing rate of stealing in the church, said the churches and local assemblies are like the hospitals for a lot of sick people.

He said that while some are responding to medications, some are yet to respond to medications while some are dying.

Lfediba said that the rampant stealing in churches is also part of the fulfilment of the scriptures. ?Jesus Himself said it that iniquity shall abound and the love of many shall wax cold.?

He said that the situation demands a collective approach and that nobody should play the blame game. ?So, this is one of the reasons we should not blame it on anyone.?

He also said that there are so many reasons why stealing in local assemblies are on the increase. According to him, many of the local assemblies are filled with mixed multitudes; hence, it is not surprising that churches are having to deal with such issues.

?A lot of people are in church or churches for different reasons; my reason for being in church is not the same with Mr. B?s reason ? so everyone is driven by what brought him/her to church,? lfediba said.

Lfediba said that many also consider the church a soft target because of the loving nature of the worshipers and their ability to easily forgive wrong doing.

?These criminals see that as opportunity and take advantage of worshippers or worship centres,? he said.

Why steal in a church?

People steal for different reasons. But, some of those who steal from the church do so partly because worship centres are open to everybody.

Even the mixed multitudes as some people would like to call it ? are not left out.

On the back of this, it is believed that the church has a very strong issue to deal with, especially in identifying people coming into their churches for worship.

According to Ifediba, a lot of criminals creep into churches to steal because of the slow pace of judgment in the church and the general belief that God is slow to anger.

He said that because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, many consider the church and other worship centres as safe paces to steal from.

?God is a God of patience but will surely judge the workers of iniquity,? Ifediba said.

Gracious Akintayo, publisher of Providence Magazine, told BusinessDay that people who steal from churches do so because of their lack of regards for worship centres.

He said that some also commit such act out of greed and not want or lack. According to him, stealing from the church has dire consequences, which many are not aware of.

?Many of these people that steal from churches do so out of ignorance of the type of plaque they are inviting into their lives,? he said.

Akintayo also corroborated what Ilesanmi said earlier by urging pastors to pay close attention to the security of their worship centres.

?I think pastors should look beyond preaching salvation to everybody that walks into the church, and work towards creating safe places for worshipers by changing their approach to security of life and properties.?

Has the Church lost its sanctity?

The church and worship centres in many cities are considered a public place open to every and any individual.

However, this might not be unconnected with the rampant rate of stealing in churches across the country.

In 2024, a 19-year-old ex-convict was found guilty of stealing items belonging to a church and disturbing public peace.

The ex-convict stole items worth over N350,000, belonging to All of Faith Christian Church, located in Oniyefun, Idi-Osan, lbadan.

Similarly, a 38-year-old bricklayer in Ondo state was convicted for stealing items, including an iron tithe box, with a total value of N1,340,900.

The said criminal committed the offences between December 24, 2024, and January 8, 2025, at different times and locations in Akure, where he broke into the Garden of Faith (CAC) Church, stealing items that included an amplifier worth N230,000, a 6.5kV generator valued at N250,000, two lengths of 12mm rods worth N19,600, and an iron tithe box valued at N35,000, totalling N534,600.

However, Ifediba said because the church is considered a place where people go seeking redemption; it is not out of place for the criminally-minded individuals to also come in to steal because of the mixed multitude.

?Our local assemblies are trying, don?t forget no matter how good a church would be, there will always be a Judas,? he said, stressing the need for vigilance among worshipers. (BusinessDay)

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