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🇳🇬 Nigeria /Culture & Society

VIDEO: Pastor decries Abuja church demolition

From The Punch · () English

Summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Context piece
  • Worshippers at the Temple of Glory Church in Abuja were shocked when officials demolished their church structures on Monday.
  • The demolition occurred a day after Sunday service, despite ongoing litigation regarding the property.
  • A pastor decried the action as lawless, while church members attempted to salvage equipment from the debris.

Officials from the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA) demolished the Temple of Glory Church in Abuja's Asokoro area on Monday, leaving worshippers in shock. The demolition took place just one day after the congregation gathered for Sunday service.

Videos circulating on social media captured bulldozers and heavy equipment tearing down the church building. Pastor Ike, speaking in a live video on the church's Facebook page, condemned the FCDA and the FCT Department of Development Control for their actions. He accused them of disregarding the rule of law, emphasizing that litigation concerning the property was active and scheduled for a hearing on October 5.

This matter is in court, yet Development Control and FCDA have come to demolish the place. The matter is billed for hearing on the 5th of October, but there’s a lawlessness that has overtaken our land.

— Pastor IkeDecrying the demolition of the church despite ongoing legal proceedings.

"This matter is in court, yet Development Control and FCDA have come to demolish the place," the pastor stated while filming the destruction. "The matter is billed for hearing on the 5th of October, but there’s a lawlessness that has overtaken our land."

See what they have done. They are pulling down our place in Asokoro even though the matter is in court.

— Pastor IkeFilming the demolition scene and expressing dismay.

Distraught church members were seen in another video attempting to evacuate church equipment and property from the debris. The footage showed damaged sections of the worship center, with some members praying amidst the commotion. Several scrap scavengers were also present, waiting to claim metallic parts and structural remnants.

The demolition is part of ongoing enforcement actions by FCT authorities against structures deemed illegal or built without proper approvals. While these exercises have affected various buildings and sparked public outcry in recent months, the FCDA and FCT Administration had not issued a specific statement regarding the Temple of Glory demolition at the time of reporting.

We were in Church yesterday only for FCDA to come demolish our Church Temple of Glory Abuja this morning.

— Gentle-idyee EkitokA church member lamenting the sudden demolition.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by The Punch. Summarized and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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