Authorities in Akop County in South Sudan’s Tonj state have arrested and tortured more than 150 members of the Seventh-day Adventist Church over the weekend, a church leader said.

Pastor Wol Adegwun, district leader of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Warrap, told Radio Tamazuj on Thursday that more than 150 members of his church were arrested by police authorities in Akop County.

The church leader pointed out that the church members were enforced to drink alcohol and smoke tobacco in the area. The pastor explained that the commissioner of Akop County ordered the arrest of the church members after his community complained that the Seventh-day Adventist Church has attracted a large number of local residents compared to other denominations.

For his part, the deputy governor of Tonj state Manim Bol confirmed the incident, saying investigations are underway. “Those people went to preach the gospel, but they differed with the local leaders in the area of Akop, but up to now we don’t have more information about the matter,” Manim said.

Manim denied reports that the church members were arrested.

The government official pointed out that the county commissioner was summoned by the state governor to explain what happened.