From George Oraeki
On a Journey from Area 1 Abuja towards Lugbe,one will begin to wonder on the enormous hectares of Land along the sides of the road lying without development.
As you Drive Onwards,one begin to notice gigantic edifice owned by various Multinational companies,the various government agencies,Abuja Trade Fair ground etc.
The serene atmosphere,the beautiful rocks to behold including trees makes driving smooth.
One Veers out of the Road and climbs the long Bridge linking pyakassa district.
Again one will notice sprawling estates springing up sporadically at both sides of the road, at the end of the tarred road is an untarred dusty road Inhabiting a shanty community known as (von) moving northward of the shanty community one notices a forest zone.you will marvel again when you climb a hill seeing marble roofs,numerous houses with cameron zinc.occupiers have taken possession of their well built houses fenced with gates.
The Estate is known as the Redeemer Estate, one of the occupiers who is living in his own apartment,said he thank God that the conception of the Excellent Men Fellowship of the redeem Christian church of God Lugbe few years ago yielded positive fruits,as today he is a proud owner of property in Abuja.
The occupier who refused to disclose his Identity said, God will bless the board of the Excellent Men Fellowship, who conceived the idea of getting an estate for their members at a cheap rate, without profiting from members.
Another Occupier told the team of Journalists on Investigation about the estate that the scheme is a reality,one could see the physical structures,including uncompleted structures scattered all over the estate.
The Occupier again said it is the efforts of selfless and charismatic leadership of the church that has made him a proud owner of a house in a choice location as this in Abuja, Furthermore, similar stories as this were gathered from some of the residents at pyiakasa estate.
One will begin to wonder and doubt the dangerous negative misinformation by aggrieved persons whose whims and caprice were not sought when the hectares of Land was acquired.
Ordinarily the progressive pastors of the redeem Christian church of God Lugbe,could have ignored the tissues of lies making round that the Economic and financial crime commission (EFCC) arrested them on 600million naira estate funds.
Following the wrong Impression painted in the media and in the mind of Nigerians,especially the body of Christ the dissidents are dragging to disrepute they decided to comment for clarity.
FROM THE BEGINNING
According to the president of Excellent Men Fellowship, Resurrection chapel,Redeem Christian church of God Lugbe Br. femi shobola said the idea was conceived because of the fact that their men in the church are not forth coming in church activities.
During a breakfast meeting sometime ago,when pastor peter imouhiosen was presiding as the zonal pastor,after prayers someone mentioned that the men should embark on housing scheme which will bring them closer to God.
The presiding zonal pastor prayed and endorsed the idea,a board was constituted the committee went into action,immediately they came up with modalities on how to acquire the Land.
The modality was translated to a working document which was okayed by the committee.
The land committee initially levied members with N250,000 naira,a Surveyor,Land Valuer,a Lawyer,quantity Surveyor,Accountants were Incorporated into the Land Committee headed by pastor Adeola.
When Search for Land Intensified they were shown a Land,after Investigations it was discovered that it was a fake land.
The Board utilized other avenues to search for land.they advertised in Abuja property magazine.
When the land valuer in the mens land board discovered that the search for the land is a Herculean task,he left the lands committee unannounced,he concluded that the idea will not work.
The Excellent Men entered into fasting and prayers to seek the face of God over the issue.
The good lord answered their prayers.following his mercy and grace.within a short while they met with somebody at (AMAC) who took them to a specialist in Land.
The way and manner the PYAKASSA hectares of Land was acquired was just a miracle.
The Land specialist told them that he has Land for sale cost N120,000,000 million naira,but because they came as a church he will give it to the redeem Christian church of God at N80,000,000 million naira.
With God help they purchased the land at N80,000,000 million naira.
To Raise the N80,000,000 million naira was another difficult Task,what they did was an arrangement to pay Instalmentally.
The instalmental payment commenced in earnest.every member of the Land committee agreed to adopt a non-profit measure.
As soon as the land was procured,the valuer who is a member of the church,who absconded when it was tough came back to their fold again pleading that he is their brother in the lord they should accept him back which they did as they forgave him.
Later he showed his true colour again,his plans is to lord himself on every body,he was resisted.
THE LAND
The President of the Excellent Men Further narrated that God gave them another three locations of Land,one in (von)1 about 3.3hectares,(von)2 about 5.1 hectares including the pyakassa which is about 20hectres, new 2 hectares was acquired joined with the first one totaling 22 hectares of Land in pyakasa.
they bought additional 2hectares of land at N12,000,000 million naira,The issue of compensation to the indigenes has to be done (villagers farming on the land) so as to be able to access the land .
The compensation paid was much,because for every hectare they were charged about N1million.
Investigations by the media team disclosed that the professional land valuer,a member of the church having lost out in his bid to control the board, instigated some beneficiaries of the scheme who are yet to complete their payment to raise a blackmail alarm,the valuer also authored false petition against the land committee.
The Land committee members are undeterred as they see the entire scenario as devils work. They kept on achieving positive results inspite of the orchestrated blackmail.
Whenever any member pays or completes his payment of N500,000 naira,the land committee allocates land to the person who is willing to move to site immediately for development.
It was learnt that misgivings that warranted the petitions is the inability of some members who initially paid N250,000naira finds it difficult to complete the sum amount to N500,000naira and the knitty gritty involved in compensation to the land owners.
Another grievance that generated the false petition is the issue of Infrastructural levy. By Infrastructural levy includes roads, pipe borne water, clinic, electricity, security etc.
A visit to pyakasa estate by this media team reveals that people who have completed their own buildings are already living on the estate with electricity and water while roads ,drainages and other infrastructure have been done half way
A man was said to have paid about 75% of the total sum was yearning for the provision of these infrastructures when others are yet to respond financially.
Issues of erecting infrastructural facilities in the estate requires 80 percent payment ,in which the required funds could be enough to start erecting infrastructural amenities in the estate.
The person was asked to be patient while members respond positively,which didn’t go down well with him rather resorted to blackmail,malignment.
The General Overseer of The Redeemed Christian Church of God Pastor Enoch Adeboye raised a fact finding team to Abuja including auditors,following petition written.
The report of the General Overseers team Vindicated them,no money was stolen according to the G.Os team report, the land committee was recalled back to conclude the land deal.
Investigations carried shows that the scheme could not realize up to N200,000,000million as against N600,000,000million naira reported in the media.
The EFCC never came into the matter because of case of fraud, but because of the petition it received from the aggrieved man. all those that paid for their land who are members of the redeemed and other churches (bonafide) are allocated land.
The petitioners who has equally gone to court over the same issue has been asked to provide documentary evidence or risk the wrath of God.
