The Ministry of Housing and Urban Development have demolished a church in Benin, but the pastor seems to be fingering an aggrieved neighbour in the plot.
File photo
A group of men suspected to be thugs on Tuesday demolished a building housing the Excellent Flow of Christ Church in Benin, Edo State.
According to Daily Post , the thugs who claimed to be working for the Edo State Ministry of Housing and Urban Development, came to the church at about 9:00am in a Hilux van and Mitsubishi bus.
The pastor of the church, one Victor Chukwu, revealed that trouble started one week after he moved in and one of his neighbours, Daniel Eboigbe, said the church activities were disturbing him.
The Pastor, who noted that a petition was sent to the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development and a notice to remove the church was served on him on November 16, also alleged that Eboigbe had threatened to ensure they are removed from the area.
Victor said, “We paid the owner on a yearly basis. Mr. Eboigbe took us to court and did not wait for the court ruling before sending thugs to destroy the church.
“He came and told us the church was disturbing and causing nuisance in the area and the thugs started using hammer to destroy the building.”
The state Commissioner for Housing and Urban Development, Frank Evbuomwan, commenting on the incident, said the church building was an illegal structure and does not have a building permit.