The release of Mr. Victor M. Kogos from the custody of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command has done little to calm the growing crisis within the Church of Christ in Nations (COCIN), as members continue to accuse the church’s Regional Church Council (RCC) of using law enforcement agencies to suppress criticism and intimidate dissenting voices.
Kogos, a member of COCIN Area 1, Garki, Abuja, regained his freedom after spending several days in detention following his arrest over comments he made on Facebook criticising the leadership of the church’s Regional Church Council.
His detention sparked widespread outrage among church members, who staged a peaceful protest demanding his immediate release and condemning what they described as the weaponisation of police authority to settle internal church disputes.
According to sources within the church, the controversy began after the launch of a book authored by Rev. Ayuba John at COCIN Asokoro in June 2026. Following the event, Kogos reportedly posted photographs from the programme on Facebook, accompanied by remarks in which he sharply criticised the Regional Church Council.
In the post, he allegedly described members of the council as “agents of the devil” and accused them of mismanaging the affairs of the church, making poor leadership decisions and failing to uphold the values expected of spiritual leaders.
The comments reportedly infuriated the leadership of the Regional Church Council, headed by Rev. Shadrach Yusufu Panle. Other members of the council include Rev. Merkuk Ripji, Vice Chairman; Rev. Princewill Dayuk, Secretary; Rev. Jeremiah Lar, Assistant Secretary; Mrs. Jessica Adams, Treasurer; Barrister Lawi Sumi, Legal Adviser; and Mr. Sunday Ayuba, Member.
Sources told SaharaReporters that Kogos was invited for questioning before he was subsequently detained at the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of the FCT Police Command on July 24.
Church members alleged that despite persistent appeals by his family, friends and concerned worshippers, efforts to secure his release were repeatedly frustrated because senior officials of the Regional Church Council allegedly insisted that he remain in detention.
“The entire Regional Church Council headed by Rev. Shadrach Yusufu Panle had him arrested at the FCT Police Command for questioning the authority of the church council,” one source alleged.
“Every effort made by family members, friends and church members to secure his release proved unsuccessful because the church council insisted he should remain in detention until they decided otherwise.”
The prolonged detention fuelled anger across sections of the church, culminating in a peaceful protest by dozens of members who marched through the streets carrying handwritten placards demanding justice and Kogos’ unconditional release.
Among the messages displayed during the demonstration were: “COCIN President Should Order RCC Chairman To Release Victor Kogos,” “No To Victimization,” and other inscriptions calling for fairness, accountability and an end to intimidation within the church.
The protesters maintained that expressing opinions on the administration of the church, whether in meetings or on social media, should never be treated as a criminal offence or warrant police detention.
Witnesses said the demonstrators marched peacefully while singing solidarity songs and appealed to both the FCT Police Command and the national leadership of COCIN to intervene before the situation escalated further.
According to sources, the public pressure generated by the protest appeared to have yielded results, as Kogos was released from police custody on July 31.
Although his release has been welcomed by supporters, church members disclosed that the legal case against him remains pending, raising concerns that the dispute is far from over.
They argued that the incident has exposed what they described as a growing culture of intolerance within the church, where members who question decisions of the leadership allegedly face harassment instead of dialogue.
“The protest achieved its immediate objective because Victor has now been released,” one church member said.
“But this matter should not end here. The national headquarters in Jos needs to investigate what happened so that no member will continue to be intimidated simply for expressing an opinion.”
The concerned members have therefore called on the national headquarters of the Church of Christ in Nations in Jos, Plateau State, to institute an independent investigation into the circumstances surrounding Kogos’ arrest and detention.
They also urged the church leadership to prioritise reconciliation, transparency and internal conflict resolution rather than involving law enforcement agencies in disputes arising from criticism of church administration.
As of the time of filing this report, neither the leadership of the Regional Church Council nor the Federal Capital Territory Police Command had publicly responded to the allegations. The allegations remain unverified, while the pending legal proceedings are expected to determine the next phase of the controversy. The incident has nonetheless intensified debate over freedom of expression, accountability and the use of state institutions in resolving internal disputes within religious organisations.