‘Enugu can’t demolish church’

AN Enugu High Court presided over by the Chief Judge, Justice Innocent Umezurike, has restrained the State government, its agents or privies from demolishing the premises of the Mountain of Fire & Miracles pending the determination of motion on notice before it.

Ruling on the motion before it on Wednesday filed by counsel to the Church, Ikeazor Akaraiwe, the court further fixed on Wednesday, October 3, 2012 for hearing on the interlocutory injunction.

In the suit with number E/585/2012, registered trustees have sought the order of court restraining the government, Capital territory Development Authority, Commissioner for Lands and survey as well as that of Environment from demolishing the premises of the church in view of the approved Certificate of Occupancy (CofO) it got for the property.

On two occasions last week, officials of the Enugu state government had moved to demolish the regional headquarters of the church located along Zik Avenue in the state capital.

Precisely on Friday last week, the Enugu state capital development authority (ECTA) stationed bulldozers around the church, preparatory for the demolition but was aborted, following the intervention of the Pentecostal fellowship of Nigeria and Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN).

Both the PFN state President, Rev Obi Onubugo and the South-East chairman of CAN, Bishop Emmanuel Chukwuma who came on sympathy visits to the MFM urged the state government to approach the proposed demolition with some restrain.

The state government had through the Commissioner for Enugu Capital Territory, Ikechukwu Ugwuegede said that the proposed demolition was in line with the development policy of ECTDA.

stressing that the church was located on a water way and was erected without approval.

The church had denied the allegation insisting that all her buildings complied with laid down approval of the state, stressing that government was bent on carrying out hidden agenda.