There has been outrage over the demolition of 12 churches on 2nd Avenue, FESTAC Town, Lagos State, by officials of the Federal Housing Authority.

Our correspondent was told that a market and a car mart were also affected in the exercise carried out on Sunday.

PUNCH Metro learnt that the demolition started around 5am and continued till around 3pm.

The leader of the Gate of Righteousness Evangelical International Church, Pastor Joshua Obong, said he started his ministry in the community 18 years ago and wondered why his church was targeted for demolition.He said, “The officials first came last week and started marking our buildings. After they were done, they left and returned two days later. That was when they gave us a seven-day notice, which expired last Wednesday.

“On Sunday morning, around 5am, we suddenly saw bulldozers at the First Gate, FESTAC Town. They got to my church at exactly 11am; they demolished all the churches along the road, except the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Communion Chapel and CPM, which they spared. All other churches were brought down.”

Obong said there was no other warning prior to the seven-day noticeHe claimed that the government took advantage of the strike action by judicial workers, adding that nobody could approach the court for injunctions to stop the demolition.

“We wrote to them, seeking extension of time, but the letter was not even acknowledged,” he added.The Overseer of Christ Gospel Church International, Pastor William Ehiorenren, said a senior government official had advised them to send a lawyer to Abuja to sort out the matter.

He stated, “He promised that they would not touch any church till the lawyer returned. Our lawyer was still in Abuja when they came on Sunday, a day of service, and demolished our churches. The lawyer called all their staff members, but they switched off their phones.

“We heard that they want to re-allocate the land and sell to moneybags and make millions. I have not seen where seven days would be given for people to vacate their property.We have been in that area for years and we spent millions of naira in building our churches. They could not even give us time to move, because they had mapped out their evil plan to sell the land to people.”

Ehiorenren said his church usually paid tenancy rates to landlords, who he claimed had legal claims to the land.The cleric accused the government of leaving certain churches, because their leaders had political connections.

He explained that his church was not served any notice of demolition.The Deputy Director, Social Security and Intergovernmental Relations, Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria, Lagos State, Pastor Barnabas Otoibhi, said 12 churches were demolished by the government.

He explained that the owners of the churches cleared a swamp and built their structures, adding that the affected worship centres had been in the community for between 13 and 20 years.

According to him, the government accused the pastors of “encroachment and erecting illegal structures.”The Deputy Director, Social Security and Intergovernmental Relations, Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria, Lagos State, Pastor Barnabas Otoibhi, said 12 churches were demolished by the government.

He explained that the owners of the churches cleared a swamp and built their structures, adding that the affected worship centres had been in the community for between 13 and 20 years.

According to him, the government accused the pastors of “encroachment and erecting illegal structures.”The notice they sent to them, they called it final notice, without serving them any previous letter. We asked that they should be given time. We were discussing this when the bulldozers came in on Sunday morning. The first church was pulled down at exactly 5.45am. Aside from the churches, they also cleared those selling cars in that line. Only a few buildings were spared.”

The cleric said a protest was planned for today (Tuesday) to kick against the “shabby manner” in which the churches were treated.The Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, did not take his calls or respond to a text message from our correspondent over the matter.

The Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, FHA, Senator Gbenga Ashafa, did not take his calls, which rang out several times.

However, an official of the agency, who did not identify himself, said the government would address the matter during a press conference on Wednesday.

He explained that the government was in the process of restoring FESTAC Town to its original plan.Ask those people for their letters of allocation and approved building plans. They don’t have them. So, if you have been staying on somebody’s land illegally for over 15 years, how does the person owe you adequate notice? What notice are they talking about?” he queried.



https://punchng.com/outrage-as-fg-demolishes-12-lagos-churches-on-alleged-illegal-plots/

[img]https://media1./images/b74c396bc00560fad02a0ea865c11ae4/tenor.gif?itemid=12800051[/img]

...

Is good to make a lot of research before buying a land in states like Lagos and Ogun state.

The fact remains that there so many illegal structures in Festac but the owners should have been given more time to relocate.

Eleyi gidi gan oooooooh, but wait let's assume the structures are not ok or the land they occupied is illegal seven days is too short nah considering mission house might be there and to get new apartment is not easy under seven days......lasg and their corner corner way of doing things ennnh.

okay let's take it to Mosque...

Business centers or churches?

okay let's take it to Mosque...

when Wike du am dem shout

inoki247:
okay let's take it to Mosque...

Fanatics must find a way to bring their sentiment in

inoki247:
okay let's take it to Mosque...

when Wike du am dem shout

You too shout

OK, make fed govt allow una spoil festac town the way una spoil satellite town?

CrimeKsmart:
Fanatics must find a way to bring their sentiment in

which sentiment what's good for the goose is also good for the gander...

inoki247:


which sentiment what's good for the goose is also good for the gander...

Festac town has a laid down plan, u can't just erect building any how

You mean as in 12 churches in this one avenue
what is it church produce again ?
way too much more like betting shop.

I sincerely hope that this is replicated round the country, there is no much difference between some of the churches and herdsmen in encroachment and erecting illegal structures

tamdun:

Festac town has a laid down plan, u can't just erect building any how

I don't have issues with what the FG is doing if they breach the law they should deal with anybody be it a Mosque or Church nobody should be exempted....

That's bad

Indirect attack on Christianity.

They didn't touch The Reedemed Church because they knw it would lead to either serious court case or public outcry.

Why will anybody encroach on FHA in the first place? It will definitely end in demolition no matter how long it takes.

Charmingrascal:
Attack on Christianity

Can't u read



Everything u know in ur life is religious fight

The buildinds are illegal

Affected masses in Festac Town are returned to their suffering. I said it that Nigeria government is designed to always find a way to inflict masses to abject poverty.

Now these people affected will suffer ehen, some will even get heart attack and die, as if government cares.

Happy one Nigeria jor

[img]https://media./images/22f53c156370aa172d7a735964e5dd8e/tenor.gif[/img]

Damisic:



Can't u read



Everything u know in ur life is religious fight

You that can read, can you point out a tangible reason why the Churches were demolished after few days notice?

Why didn't they wait for their Lawyers before demolishing.

Read between the lines don't just read.

tamdun:
OK, make fed govt allow una spoil festac town the way una spoil satellite town?

Festac don spoil since 90s.
My uncle who won a duplex in that place sold the place and fled to Lekki.
He said that place na crime zone, one of his children is already into all kinds of vices before he took that decision.
It took him 10 good years of prayers, fasting and endless counselling to straighten out that boy.

INOKI

Not surprised with your bigotry

inoki247:
okay let's take it to Mosque...

when Wike du am dem shout

Christian fanatic with his fanatical views Everytime on NL. We dash you to Ipob Terrorist, we reject your Yorubaship

Charmingrascal:
Indirect attack on Christianity.

They didn't touch The Reedemed Church because they knw it would lead to either serious court case or public outcry.

inoki247:


which sentiment what's good for the goose is also good for the gander...

How does that correlate with the issue on ground. They occupied illegal land, Instead of you to speak against that, you are mentioning mosque. Mtchewww

CrimeKsmart:
How does that correlate with the issue on ground. They occupied illegal land, Instead of you to speak against that, you are mentioning mosque. Mtchewww

Africans and their religious sentiments... Don't be surprised if it is linked to Buhari

Le124:
There has been outrage over the demolition of 12 churches on 2nd Avenue, FESTAC Town, Lagos State, by officials of the Federal Housing Authority.

Our correspondent was told that a market and a car mart were also affected in the exercise carried out on Sunday.

PUNCH Metro learnt that the demolition started around 5am and continued till around 3pm.

The leader of the Gate of Righteousness Evangelical International Church, Pastor Joshua Obong, said he started his ministry in the community 18 years ago and wondered why his church was targeted for demolition.He said, “The officials first came last week and started marking our buildings. After they were done, they left and returned two days later. That was when they gave us a seven-day notice, which expired last Wednesday.

“On Sunday morning, around 5am, we suddenly saw bulldozers at the First Gate, FESTAC Town. They got to my church at exactly 11am; they demolished all the churches along the road, except the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Communion Chapel and CPM, which they spared. All other churches were brought down.”

Obong said there was no other warning prior to the seven-day noticeHe claimed that the government took advantage of the strike action by judicial workers, adding that nobody could approach the court for injunctions to stop the demolition.

“We wrote to them, seeking extension of time, but the letter was not even acknowledged,” he added.The Overseer of Christ Gospel Church International, Pastor William Ehiorenren, said a senior government official had advised them to send a lawyer to Abuja to sort out the matter.

He stated, “He promised that they would not touch any church till the lawyer returned. Our lawyer was still in Abuja when they came on Sunday, a day of service, and demolished our churches. The lawyer called all their staff members, but they switched off their phones.

“We heard that they want to re-allocate the land and sell to moneybags and make millions. I have not seen where seven days would be given for people to vacate their property.We have been in that area for years and we spent millions of naira in building our churches. They could not even give us time to move, because they had mapped out their evil plan to sell the land to people.”

Ehiorenren said his church usually paid tenancy rates to landlords, who he claimed had legal claims to the land.The cleric accused the government of leaving certain churches, because their leaders had political connections.

He explained that his church was not served any notice of demolition.The Deputy Director, Social Security and Intergovernmental Relations, Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria, Lagos State, Pastor Barnabas Otoibhi, said 12 churches were demolished by the government.

He explained that the owners of the churches cleared a swamp and built their structures, adding that the affected worship centres had been in the community for between 13 and 20 years.

According to him, the government accused the pastors of “encroachment and erecting illegal structures.”The Deputy Director, Social Security and Intergovernmental Relations, Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria, Lagos State, Pastor Barnabas Otoibhi, said 12 churches were demolished by the government.

He explained that the owners of the churches cleared a swamp and built their structures, adding that the affected worship centres had been in the community for between 13 and 20 years.

According to him, the government accused the pastors of “encroachment and erecting illegal structures.”The notice they sent to them, they called it final notice, without serving them any previous letter. We asked that they should be given time. We were discussing this when the bulldozers came in on Sunday morning. The first church was pulled down at exactly 5.45am. Aside from the churches, they also cleared those selling cars in that line. Only a few buildings were spared.”

The cleric said a protest was planned for today (Tuesday) to kick against the “shabby manner” in which the churches were treated.The Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, did not take his calls or respond to a text message from our correspondent over the matter.

The Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, FHA, Senator Gbenga Ashafa, did not take his calls, which rang out several times.

However, an official of the agency, who did not identify himself, said the government would address the matter during a press conference on Wednesday.

He explained that the government was in the process of restoring FESTAC Town to its original plan.Ask those people for their letters of allocation and approved building plans. They don’t have them. So, if you have been staying on somebody’s land illegally for over 15 years, how does the person owe you adequate notice? What notice are they talking about?” he queried.



https://punchng.com/outrage-as-fg-demolishes-12-lagos-churches-on-alleged-illegal-plots/

Africa and religion why not 12 factories.