A view of the sign post for St. Paul Parish Church, located in the Nyakuron Deanery of Juba. Credit: John Ulu/September 21, 2025

JUBA, South Sudan (Eye Radio) — Worshipers at St. Paul Church in Nyakuron Deanery, Juba, were left stunned and worshipping outside on Sunday after their pastor allegedly locked the building and had five church members detained over a misunderstanding.

Lay Leader Joseph January Godwill told Eye Radio on Sunday, Septemner 21, that police detained five members who had signed a letter asking the Primate to remove the pastor.

According to Godwill, Reverend Gibson Ali Oba locked the church to prevent the congregation from entering.

“What happened at St. Paul Parish, we have written a letter to the administration of the church that we don’t want the pastor. But unfortunately, when we came to church this morning, we found the church was locked,” he said.

“After we went to 77, five of our members who signed the letter were detained at Mauna Police Station,” Godwill added. “Now we are at the church, outside the church, worshipping our God.”

Godwill claimed the congregation has written to the Primate several times to replace the pastor, but their pleas have gone unanswered.

“We are calling for a new administration. We, the congregation of Moru, were the ones who built this church,” Godwill explained.

“We want the new leadership of the church so that our church grows, but with several requests from the Primate of the church, there is no response to us, and that is why we asked the Primate to remove the current pastor and get another pastor for us.:

“Today we came to make an announcement, and we found the church locked, and now we are outside the church.”

Efforts to reach Reverend Gibson and the police for comment were unsuccessful.