C&S Launches Surveillance Training to Boost Church Security Amid Rising Insecurity
The Cherubim and Seraphim Church is introducing surveillance and security-awareness training for Army of Salvation members to strengthen church security amid rising threats.
The Eternal Sacred Order of the Cherubim and Seraphim (C&S) has announced plans to introduce formal surveillance and security-awareness training for members of its Army of Salvation Band, as the church seeks to strengthen security measures amid growing threats facing places of worship in Nigeria.
The initiative was announced by Victoria Adesioye, General Leader of the Army of Salvation Band, during the flag-off of the organisation's centenary celebrations at the church's International Headquarters in Ojokoro, Lagos State.
Adesioye said the training programme would begin before the grand finale of the Army of Salvation Band's 100th anniversary celebrations and would become a formal requirement for members joining the organisation.
She stressed that the initiative would not involve firearms or combat training, but would instead concentrate on surveillance, security awareness and the ability to identify potential threats.
Training Designed to Improve Security Awareness
According to Adesioye, the decision was prompted by increasing security challenges affecting churches and communities.
She explained that members of the Army of Salvation would receive formal training designed to improve their ability to observe their surroundings, identify suspicious situations and contribute to maintaining a secure environment during church activities.
The programme is expected to provide members with greater awareness of potential security risks without turning the organisation into an armed security outfit.
The emphasis on surveillance and security perception reflects a growing recognition among religious organisations that effective security often begins with awareness, prevention and early identification of threats.
The church's decision comes against the backdrop of Nigeria's wider security challenges, including kidnapping and attacks on worshippers.
C&S Church Has Faced Security Challenges
The announcement has particular significance for the Cherubim and Seraphim community because C&S congregations have previously been affected by insecurity.
In January 2026, worshippers at a C&S church in Kurmin Wali, Kajuru Local Government Area of Kaduna State, were reportedly attacked by armed kidnappers during a Sunday service.
Christianity Today reported that armed kidnappers surrounded the C&S congregation after moving through the community and targeting other churches. The incident demonstrated the vulnerability of worship centres where large numbers of people gather at predictable times.
The attack subsequently became part of wider concerns raised by C&S leadership about the safety of worshippers and the need for stronger security arrangements.
The church's national leadership had earlier raised concerns about insecurity and called for improved security capabilities and greater cooperation between government authorities and religious organisations.
Army of Salvation Has Long Served a Security Role
The Army of Salvation Band has historically played an important role in maintaining order during C&S activities.
Adesioye explained that the organisation was established in 1926 through the pioneering ministry of Saint Moses Orimolade Tunolase, founder of the Cherubim and Seraphim Church.
It was not created simply as a uniformed group, she said, but as an organisation committed to order, discipline, service and spiritual dedication.
Over the decades, its members have assisted in maintaining order during worship services, processions, evangelistic activities and major church gatherings.
The new training programme therefore represents an extension of an existing responsibility rather than a complete departure from the organisation's traditional role.
No Firearms or Combat Training
One of the most important aspects of the announcement is the distinction between security awareness and armed security operations.
Adesioye made clear that members would not be trained to use firearms or engage in combat.
Instead, the programme will focus on surveillance and security perception.
That approach could include developing members' ability to notice unusual activity, understand emergency procedures, communicate concerns appropriately and support the orderly evacuation or protection of worshippers when necessary.
Keeping the programme focused on awareness also reduces the risk of untrained volunteers attempting to confront armed criminals or dangerous individuals.
Professional security experts generally emphasise that civilian security teams should complement rather than replace law-enforcement agencies.
Growing Need for Church Security
The C&S initiative comes as religious organisations across Nigeria increasingly reassess security arrangements around churches.
Places of worship can present particular security challenges because services often attract large crowds, occur according to predictable schedules and may involve children, elderly people and other vulnerable worshippers.
Security experts have increasingly advocated layered security measures that combine trained personnel, surveillance technology, access control, emergency communication and cooperation with law enforcement.
Church security specialists also stress the importance of training staff and volunteers rather than relying exclusively on cameras or physical barriers.
Church Executive, a publication focused on church leadership and operations, has noted that surveillance systems work best when people responsible for security understand how to operate them and when churches regularly train personnel in emergency procedures.
Technology Could Strengthen the Programme
Although the C&S announcement focused primarily on training rather than equipment, surveillance technology could become an important component of future church-security strategies.
Closed-circuit television cameras, controlled access points, communication radios, emergency notification systems and properly maintained lighting can help security teams identify and respond to potential threats.
However, technology alone cannot guarantee safety.
Church Executive's security guidance recommends conducting a security assessment before purchasing surveillance equipment so that churches can identify their actual vulnerabilities and select appropriate systems.
Training is equally important because poorly understood security technology can be ineffective during an emergency.
Security and the Church's Spiritual Mission
The C&S leadership has also linked the initiative to its broader values of discipline, service and responsibility.
Adesioye urged members of the Army of Salvation to preserve the organisation's heritage while embracing innovation to respond to contemporary challenges.
She said the next century should produce an Army of Salvation that is stronger in faith, deeper in discipline, broader in service and more relevant to the changing needs of society.
The message suggests that security training is being viewed not simply as a response to crime but as part of the organisation's wider responsibility to protect worshippers and support the church's activities.
Centenary Provides Platform for New Initiative
The surveillance training announcement forms part of activities surrounding the Army of Salvation Band's centenary.
The organisation has planned a series of events leading up to its 100th anniversary grand finale, including a seminar and workshop and a parade rally.
The centenary is therefore being used not only to celebrate the history of the organisation but also to consider how it can adapt to changing circumstances.
For C&S leaders, the new security-awareness programme is one example of that adaptation.
A New Approach to Protecting Worshippers
The launch of surveillance and security-awareness training marks a significant development for the Cherubim and Seraphim Church.
Rather than focusing on armed response, the programme places emphasis on prevention, observation, discipline and awareness.
That approach could prove increasingly important as churches across Nigeria face a security environment in which kidnapping, armed attacks and other threats remain concerns.
If properly implemented, regularly updated and coordinated with professional security agencies, the programme could provide C&S congregations with an additional layer of protection while allowing the Army of Salvation to remain faithful to its traditional role of service and maintaining order.
For the church, the challenge will now be ensuring that the training becomes a sustained security culture rather than a one-off response to recent incidents.
As the Army of Salvation begins its second century, its leaders are signalling that protecting worshippers and maintaining safe places of worship will form an increasingly important part of its mission.