The Managing Director of the Enugu State Housing Development Corporation, Mr. Emeka Onah, on Monday alleged that the ArchBishop of the Enugu Province, Anglican Communion, Most Rev. Emmanuel Chukwuma led armed church members to unleash terror on government officials last Friday. DAILY POST recalls that an attempt by the Housing Corporation to clear 9 hectres of land located at the Christ Church Uwani, was met with stiff resistance by angry priests and some members of the Anglican communion. The church later accused the government officials of attacking and wounding four priests in the process. However, briefing journalists in his office, Onah said the assault was the other way round as the ArchBishop allegedly kicked off the attack by personally beating the Corporation’s Director of works, Mr. Pius Chukwunta.
On the land in contention, he maintained it was previously on lease to the church but that the lease expired several years ago, reversing the ownership to the government. He added that the land was duly allocated to the Housing Corporation by the ministry of land before the clearing process began on May 22. According to him, “two properties situated at Uwani, Enugu were leased by the Enugu State Government to the Anglican Communion.
These properties were registered as No 43/43/778 dated 5/3/1946 and 27/27/273 dated 4/2/1961 and leased for 5 and 20 years respectively. “The said leases were for educational and agricultural purposes only. By effluxion of time, the leases had long elapsed without a renewal. “Following series of notices to the Anglican communion to that effect and their refusal to acknowledge the letters sent to them; coupled with the breach of covenant contained therein; non-development within the stipulated period; deviation from purpose clauses among others, the Enugu State government revoked the said lease agreements and duly notified the Anglican Communion”.
Onah added that “Upon revocation of the properties, the State Government through it’s Housing Corporation led by the Director of Works, Mr Chukwunta entered the empty parcel of land with the intention of clearing the site and mounting it’s signpost ‘Transparency Estate’.
Narrating the alleged involvement of ArchBishop Chukwuma, he said, “Unknown to the Director of Works and his workers, the ArchBishop of the Anglican Communion, Lord Bishop Emmanuel Chukwuma, (Bishop Chukwuma ) had laid ambush with some members of his congregation and rough looking young men clutching dangerous weapons and gallons of gasoline. Upon entry into the land, Bishop Chukwuma and his men swooped on our staff and beat them up.
The Bishop personally approached the director of works, slapped him severally, collected a club from one of his boys and hit the director continually with it until the director broke one of his arm. “Emboldened by the actions of their Bishop, the other adherents and thugs accompanying him went beserk, hauling stones at our staff and pouring gasoline on the five bulldozers on site, threatening to set our staff and equipment ablaze. One of my fleeing staff alerted me of the ugly development on phone and I promptly called the Commissioner of Police”.
The MD, who showed journalists some bruises on his right hand, said he escaped death by the whiskers. According to him, “no sooner had I arrived the scene at Uwani, than a couple of Reverends descended on me while I was asking them to stop hauling stones at the workers. One hit me with a heavy stone inflicting injury on me while another came rushed me with a large chunk of wood.
In the ensuing mayhem, one of the said thugs dressed as a reverend approached one of my staff and poured a gallon of gasoline on him before the Commissioner of Police and his team arrived the scene. The Commissioner of Police in unequivocal terms admonished the church leaders and their thugs for brazenly taking laws into their hands and resorting to self help. “He finally advised them to seek redress in a court of law if they want to challenge the powers of a Governor to revoke the said parcel of land”.
He, therefore, maintained that “the revocation of the parcel of land was done in accordance with the laws and due process. “The said parcel of land was empty/vacant with no structures except for a small clinic situated very far away from the scene of the incidence and as such the issue of demolition of structures as alleged by the Bishop was an outright lie. “The Bishop had earlier threatened to burn and roast any Government official who ventures into the said parcel of land and true to his threats, they came into the land armed with petrol. “The Bishop had told the director of works that the Governor of Enugu State was lucky not to have been physically present otherwise, he would have done worse things to him”. “Even the bible encouraged us to respect those in authority and not to alter landmarks.
If Bishop Chukwuma feels that injustice is being done to him and his church, he needs to take it up with the court rather than resorting to violence. I call on all well meaning Nigerians and the Law enforcement agents to call Bishop Chukwuma to order”, he concluded.
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