The Presiding Bishop of Living Faith Church Worldwide alias Winners’ Chapel International, David Oyedepo, has questioned the continuous closure of churches over the COVID-19 pandemic, saying he suspects ulterior motives.

Oyedepo, who spoke during the Covenant Hour of Prayer Programme on Wednesday, said if markets could be opened for six hours, there was no reason churches should not be opened for two hours.

The revered cleric said he believed there was a gang up against the growth of the church in the country.

He said, “There is something wrong; for people to be allowed to be in the market for six hours and can’t be in church for two hours, it is an upside-down way of looking at things.

“Which one is more orderly? The market or the church?

The Presiding Bishop of Living Faith Church Worldwide alias Winners’ Chapel International, David Oyedepo, has questioned the continuous closure of churches over the COVID-19 pandemic, saying he suspects ulterior motives.

Oyedepo, who spoke during the Covenant Hour of Prayer Programme on Wednesday, said if markets could be opened for six hours, there was no reason churches should not be opened for two hours.

The revered cleric said he believed there was a gang up against the growth of the church in the country.

He said, “There is something wrong; for people to be allowed to be in the market for six hours and can’t be in church for two hours, it is an upside-down way of looking at things.

“Which one is more orderly? The market or the church.

“I can smell a rat. The Lord spoke to me on it so strong yesterday. I can smell a rat. Behind all this, how do we stop the church from exploding? The people involved don’t know it.

“The voice of darkness is influencing people at various levels, targeting the church because the growth and expansion of the church is the greatest headache of the devil. But the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. The devil and all his agents shall surely pay for this.

“I don’t know what hospital that records the kind of healings that the church of God records. And now hospitals, where people die every day, are open, but the church is closed because the oppression of the devil has no medical cure.”

Earlier, the President of the LoveWorld Incorporated, aka Christ Embassy, Chris Oyakhilome, had slammed church leaders who agreed to the lockdown of churches without praying and consulting with other pastors.