A company, Chelsea Group Limited has accused the General Overseer/Founder of Zion Gate Ministries, Chukwuebuka Obi of attempt to take over its land in Ngor/Okpala Local Government Area of Imo State.
Lead Counsel of the company, Rex Erameh made the accusation in a statement made available to journalists.
According to Erameh, the land measuring about 2000 hectares was allocated to the company by the Imo State Government for the development of Imo/Chelsea Industrial Park/Hub under a Public Private Partnership arrangement.
The lawyer disclosed that the GO popularly known as Ebuka Obi is currently clearing a massive portion of the said land with the intention of erecting a structure for his church.
Erameh said the GO besides going contrary to the purpose for which the land was allocated is acting in flagrant disobedience to a court injunction on the land.
He listed defendants to the suit filed by the company to include Imo State Government, heads of the four autonomous communities that make up Ngor/Okpala LGA, one Mr. Sopuruchi Ukuoma and Mr. Chukwuebuka Obi.
According to him, an Imo State High Court ruling on Suit No HOW/773/2024 restrained all the defendants from either disposing of, tampering with, building upon, or dealing with the land in any other manner contrary to what the Public Private Partnership is for, which is the development of Imo/Chelsea Industrial Park.
He expressed regrets that in spite of the fact that all parties had been restrained, Ebuka Obi is still building his church on the land and intends to conclude the church’s prayers and fasting with a crusade on the land in a couple of days from now.
Erameh frowned at the attitude of the clergyman who is going ahead to flout a valid injunction given by a court of competent jurisdiction, saying such action is at variance with somebody occupying the office of a GO.
He said; “This attitude of acting with impunity and flouting court orders is not befitting of a clergyman. I thereby call on him to emulate the teachings of Christ and obey constituted authority such as the subsisting court order.
“In light of the facts stated above, I hereby call on all the defendants, especially Ebuka Obi, to discontinue any form of activity on the parcel of land in question, which is already a subject of litigation, pending before the Imo State High Court 6, Owerri.
“Also, and most importantly, to note that there is an injunction restraining all parties from carrying out any form of activity on the parcel of land, pending the final determination of the suit”.
Erameh said information at his disposal have it that the youths of the communities who are desirous of benefitting from the economic boom which the Industrial Park/Hub would bring to the area took over the land on Wednesday with a view to protecting it from further encroachment by Ebuka Obi and his members.
The lead counsel said he fears that there might be a breach of public peace should Obi and his members storm the land for the conclusion of their church’s 100 days prayer and fasting spiritual exercise.
He therefore appealed to the Inspector General of Police (IGP) to wade into the matter before it degenerates into a conflagration more so when there is a subsisting court order barring all parties from carrying out any activity on the land.
