The decision, according to the group, was influenced by the presence of certain people wearing bishopric regalia at Kashim Shettima’s recent unveiling as the vice presidential candidate for the All Progressives Congress in Abuja.

It stated that it was critical to start issuing identification numbers to all Christian clergy in Nigeria for quick and accurate identification based on the reactions prompted by the development and the embarrassment it caused the Christian Association of Nigeria.

This was released in a joint press statement made accessible to journalists in Onitsha, Anambra, on Wednesday by the CACN National Coordinator, Justice Alpha Ikpeama, and the National Secretary, Bishop Joseph Ajujungwa.

They said the exercise would be done in collaboration with the Bible Family Christian Media also known as the Bible Media, a global Christian research and publicity network.

The group argued that if professional bodies, such as the Nigerian Bar Association and native doctors have their identification numbers, nothing stops clerics from having identification numbers.

The statement read in part, “We are commencing the enumeration of clergies in the country. This is a measure to serve as a guide for ministers’ information, as a compendium for the accessibility of information; thereby offering avenues for partnership and data-bank information generation exchange.

“It will also function as a unifying platform for the body of Christ and serve the purpose of globalization.

“This idea was muted after the clergies reflected and shared their views on the state of affairs and false approach in Christianity. We now promised to embark on moves toward a rescue mission for the state of Nigerian churches/ministers.

“This would be done in collaboration with the Bible Family Christian Media also known as the Bible Media, a global Christian research and publicity network to substantiate the supremacy and authority of the Holy Bible.

“All the professional bodies, particularly the Nigerian Bar Association, even the native doctors are being identified with identification numbers, CACN, therefore, call on all concerned bodies to cooperate with the clergies and the Bible Media to actualise this noble mission which would be done under each Christian bloc, while a six-month period would be given for accomplishing the same.”