A disappointed member of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, RCCG, Kayode Akinagba Joseph has dragged his church to the Christian Association of Nigeria.
RCCG
A member of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, RCCG, Kayode Akinagba Joseph who is also a Customs officer has dragged the management of the Bauchi State branch of the church to the Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, Bauchi State chapter for allegedly encroaching on his land located near the church.
In his letter of complaint to the religious body, a copy of which was issued to newsmen on Monday, the church member alleged that his plight began since 2014 when the church management led by pastor Aikulola D. Oyewunmi allegedly trespassed into his plot and removed his blocks to expand the place of worship without his consent.
“Thereafter, I confronted Pastor Aikulola for a redress of the issue but he took me for granted by not giving me due attention. He mobilized other RCCG pastors and invaded my house to disturb my peace uninvited in order to make me relinquish the encroached piece of land,” he lamented.
He further claimed that he reported the matter to provincial pastor, regional pastor, police and the court alleging that the church management exerted their influences to kill the case.
“More so, I was instructed not to further pay my tithes into the church any longer. Regarding this, I believe that what they did by stopping me from paying my tithes is a deliberate act of wickedness to block my source of blessing from God. In spite of their threat, I remain unshakable in Christ,” he said.
However, in their response letter sent to the church, a copy which was also obtained by our correspondent on Monday, the State CAN Chairman, Reverend Joshua Ray Mainas and his Secretary, Reverend Masoyi J. Dadi, said the RCCG acted in error by encroaching on the land of the church member and erecting a building without his permission urging them to apologize to him.
“For the RCCG Shekinah Parish to have exercised “Extra-Biblical” right over the property of an individual without any form of approval of the RCCG Regional Headquarters, mis-decided, after all, all church assets acquired in the name of any incorporated church becomes the property of the church.
“So it was erroneous for the priest to have used up the land and blocks of another to advance the work of RCCG without any type of permission from RCCG Regional office or the owner of the land and blocks,” the Christian body said.