By Freda Lamini Cletus
Key Points:
- Government Reopens Closed UMC church For Worship Services In Nigeria
- Church Closed By Authorities Due To Internal Church Conflicts.
- State Governor Agbu Kefas To Attend Resumption Thanksgiving Service
A statement by the Taraba State Government directing the opening of closed United Methodist Church implies that hundreds of UMCN worshippers, who had to battle harsh weather conditions in makeshift church accommodation, will now have befitting church spaces.
A press statement by the Governor of Taraba State Agbu Kefas, through the office of the Secretary of the Government of Taraba State partly read “following the successful reconciliation of the United Methodist Church of Nigeria (UMCN), after a prolonged internal dispute, I am directed to formally convey his Excellency Dr Agbu Kefas, the Governor’s approval for the church to recommence worship services”.
The statement dated February 06 2026 said church services in the United Methodist Church in Taraba State Nigeria, can begin from February 22 2026.
To reflect the Taraba State Government’s goodwill, the statement highlighted that the State Governor Agbu Kefas will attend the church resumption service, alongside the conflicting parties symbolic of peace and reconciliation.
The Resident Bishop of the United Methodist Church in Nigeria and the Mission Districts Of Cameroon and Senegal posted on his official social media handle that a special thanksgiving service will hold at the Jatutu Memorial Church in Jalingo, Taraba State, in appreciation to God for the long awaited opening of the UMC church.
Jatutu Memorial Cathedral Church was closed by the Government fourteen (14) years ago, as authorities made efforts to avoid the breakdown of law and order, due to an internal church conflict.
More United Methodist Churches were closed on the directive of State authority in 2024, after a schism by a faction of the church over regionalization and LGBTQ concerns, a development that snowballed into series of violent conflicts over properties ownership.
One of such conflicts left three (3) persons death, two of them in Munga-Dosso Community in Karim Lamido Local Government Council of Taraba State, all victims were members of the UMC, and hundreds of persons displaced.
The 2025 historic Joint Session Of The Five(5) Annual Conferences of the United Methodist Church in Nigeria, which held in Jalingo,officially reunited the United Methodist Church, with long time Southern Conference of the United Methodist Church (SCUMC) breakaway faction after fourteen (14) years.
The faction led by Rev Micah Dopa left the church over leadership issues in 2012, but returned to the fold, actively participating in the 2025 joint annual Conference, the Joint Conference further highlighted the strength and widespread membership of the United Methodist church in Nigeria.
The news of the opening of the United Methodist Church for worship services was received with excitement by members of the church.
