Expdonaloaded News; ENUGU GOVT, ANGLICAN CHURCH AT WAR OVER LAND

Many persons, including four Anglican priests and the Managing Director of the Enugu Housing Corporation, Emeka Vitalis Ona, sustained injuries last weekend when the latter led some officials of his agency to reclaim part of the land belonging to Christ Church, Uwani Enugu which the government claims it has revoked.
The reporter learnt that trouble started when the government agents, accompanied by armed policemen, moved into the land with five bulldozers to commence clearing of the land which was to be marked ‘Transparency Estate.’There was resistance by both the clergymen and members of the church who at a point reportedly lay on the ground, urging the bulldozers to rather kill them.The report of what followed next has since become controversial, as both sides are pointing fingers at each other over who threw the first stone. But at the end, several persons, including the managing director of the government agency were injured, although it appeared the church recorded more casualties.The church claimed that its members and priests were attacked by the government agents for trying to prevent them from carrying out the clearing of the said land. They said the church officials and members were “overpowered by the invaders who unleashed terror on the unsuspecting church leaders.”One of the victims, who gave her name as Naomi Ibekwe, told the reporter in Enugu that she was hit with iron and hard objects, including stones, causing bruises and severe injuries on her.post by expdonaloaded.blogspot.com..The quick intervention of the State Commissioner of Police, Muhammed Abubakar Adamu who personally came to the scene, helped arrest the situation.Speaking to our reporter on phone, Archbishop of the Enugu Anglican Ecclesiastical Province and Bishop of the Enugu Anglican Diocese, Most. Rev. Emmanuel Chukwuma, described the effort of the government to take part of the church land as victimization of the Anglican Church in the state.
Said the cleric: “It’s not the first time they are doing such a thing to us and we are aware they don’t like us but we have the right to exist like others.“We share the same fence with the Catholic Seminary School, Bigard, but how many times have they disturbed them or tried to take their land? I tell you it is mere victimization.“We have our papers for the land which was issued decades ago and we have shown them genuine land documents but they are just bent on dealing with the Anglican Church.”
The archbishop, contrary to claims from the government side that he initiated the fight by personally slapping the Director of Works, denied such allegations. He insisted that he was not in town and was yet to return even as he was granting the telephone interview.
But narrating his experience, the Managing Director of the Enugu State Housing Corporation, Emeka Vitalis Ona who was among those injured in the clash described his survival as a narrow escape.
He said that the government gave the land to the Anglican Church on lease for 20 years and for educational and agricultural purposes only.
He noted that the lease had long elapsed without renewal and after series of notices, government revoked the land and subsequently re-entered the land through its Housing Corporation led by the Director of Works, Pius Chukwunta, an engineer, with a view to clearing the site and mounting a sign post with the inscription, ‘Transparency Estate’.
He said: “There were two lease agreements in respect of the property situated at Uwani, Enugu by the Enugu State Government to the Anglican Communion. They were registered as No 43/43/778 dated 5/3/1946 and 27/27/273 dated 4/2/1961 respectively. They were for five years and 20 years respectively. The said leases were for educational and agricultural purposes only.
“The leases had long elapsed without a renewal. Following series of notices to the Anglican communion to that effect and their refusal thereof; coupled with the breach of covenant contained therein; non-development within the stipulated period; deviation from purpose clauses among others, the Executive Governor of Enugu State in the exercise of powers vested on him by extant laws, revoked the said lease agreements and duly notified the Anglican Communion.
“Thereafter, the parcels of land reverted back to the state government, the original owner. Upon the said reversion, the state government, through its Housing Corporation led by the Director of Works, Mr. Pius Chukwunta, re-entered the said parcel of land with a view to clearing the site and mounting its signpost, Transparency Estate thereon.
“Unknown to the director and his workers, the leadership of the church in Enugu, including the archbishop, had laid ambush with some church members and rough looking young men clutching dangerous weapons and gallons of petrol.
“Upon entry into the land, the archbishop and his men swooped on our staff and gave them the beating of their lives. They poured fuel on all the five bulldozers and our men, threatening to set all on fire.
“One of my fleeing staff alerted me to the development and I promptly called the commissioner of Police. No sooner had I arrived the scene at Uwani than the thugs descended on me throwing heavy stones at me and inflicting severe injury on my right shoulder.
“In the ensuing mayhem, one of the thugs was approaching me with a gallon of fuel when the commissioner of police and his team arrived.
“So, the revocation of the said parcel of land was done in accordance with the dictates of the extant laws and due process. The said parcel of land was empty/vacant with no structures except for a hospital situate very far away from the scene of the incidence and as such the issue of demolition of structures as alleged by the bishop goes to no issue.
“The bishop had earlier threatened to burn and roast any government official who ventures into the said parcel of land and true to his threat, he came into the land armed with petrol with which he had soaked some of my staff and equipment but for the prompt intervention of the Commissioner of Police.
“The bishop had told the Director of Works that the Governor of Enugu State was lucky not to have been physically present, saying he would have done worse things to the governor. I call on all well meaning Nigerians and the law enforcement agents to call Bishop Chukwuma to order.”

Click photo to download; but you lied to me by Expdona aka finish gravity