The Akwa Ibom State government has approved the reopening of churches in the state from Sunday, June 7.

The Commissioner for Information in the state, Charles Udoh, announced this in a statement on Sunday.

He explained that the decision was taken based on guidelines recommended by the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) backed by an undertaking to comply and signed by representatives of all the blocs.

According to Udoh, the state government is confident that CAN, being a body full of integrity will do everything within its jurisdiction to ensure that all churches adhere strictly to the guidelines.

He warned that violators would be prosecuted and a joint monitoring team – comprising representatives of government, security agencies, and CAN – has been set up in each senatorial district to monitor compliance level.

The commissioner, however, warned that the ban on burials, weddings, and all forms of social gatherings remained in force until further notice.

He asked the residents to continue to observe all prescribed guidelines on religious and social gatherings, as well as physical distancing while wearing face masks in public places.