Ogun state government has demolished a Redeem Church building as workers at the site and church members burst into tears, with some shouting 'Jesus, Jesus, this is your house.'
The demolished RCCG building
A church building owned by the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), has been demolished by the Ogun State Government.
The demolished building is located inside the Olusegun Obasanjo Hilltop Estate, named after the former President by the state government, and located along the Presidential Boulevard, Abeokuta, the state capital.
The construction of the church, headed by a former lawmaker in Ogun State, Remmy Hazzan, started in 2013, and was being roofed when the government rolled out caterpillars on Friday to pull it down.
It was learnt that the church leadership was meant to commence use of the ground floor for church activities on November 8 prior to the building’s completion, and on Friday, as the state government demolished the building, workers at the site and church members burst into tears, with some shouting "Jesus, Jesus, this is your house, Lord where is your face."
It was learnt that the state governor, Ibikunle Amosun, insisted the building be pulled down, arguing that the structure violated the residential master plan of the estate.
Governor Amosun’s Special Adviser on Media, Adejuwon Soyinka, said the demolition was carried out because the church building was not approved.
"I am told that the church has no title documents nor approval. The estate is strictly residential, and the building has defeated the approved design plan. And let me quickly add, nothing is political about the action."