For the second time, some members of the Living Faith Church Worldwide, better known as Winners Chapel have attacked another set of officials of Ogun State Government.
A reporter and cameraman of the state television station, OGTV, were the latest victims.
The State Commisioner for Information and Strategy,Alhaji Yusuph Olaniyonu,identified the assaulted officials as Mr Peter Falomo, a reporter with OGTV and his cameraman, Lekan Egunjobi.
The duo,according to the statement by the commissioner, were severely beaten and their camera was damaged when they went to the Ota premises of the church to cover the service of building inspection notices by officials of the Ministry Of Urban and Physical Planning.
“Apart from the TV crew, two officials of the Ministry were also injured by the irate church members who prevented the team from entering the premises.
“The assault was witnessed by the Head Pastor of the Church, Bishop David Oyedepo who equally was visibly angry by the decision of the officials to attempt to carry out their statutory duties in his church premises.
“At a point, the Bishop was saying unprintable things while querying the audacity of the state officials to attempt to regulate building of structures for commercial purposes in his church premises.
” The officials of the Ministry of Urban and Physical Planning who were accompanied by policemen had, following the previous day similar assault of their counterparts in the OGIRS, earlier made a report of their planned visit to the Winners Chapel premises at the Divisional Police Station, Onipanu, Ota”,the statement read in parts.
Those wounded were taken to the General hospital in Ota where they were treated and subsequently discharged.
It was gathered that the matter has also been reported to the police.
Commenting on the development, the General Manager in the Ogun State Urban and Physical Planning Board, Mr Stephen Adewolu, who was part of the team that was molested in Ota, expressed shock at the lawlessness displayed by the Winners Chapel members and their leaders.
According to him,”No organisation can carry on as if it is above the law. We have information that the people in that church are just building structures indiscriminately without building approval, without necessary environmental impact assessment reports and they are violating planning laws and regulations.
” We only went there to serve statutory notices on the on-going building development and they are behaving as if the premises of the church is not covered by the laws of the state in which it is located”, he said.
The State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice,Mrs Abimbola Akeredolu confirmed to our correspondent that her Ministry is studying the the facts on the two incidents with a view to take appropriate legal measures.
Also, officials of the Winners Chapel had shunned meetings of the Stakeholders Forum established by the state government for representatives of organisations located in the state to deliberate with the government on issues of common interest, particularly compliance with extant laws on physical planning and taxation.
On Thursday afternoon, security personnel of the Kingdom Heritage Nursery and Primary School, a commercial venture located within the complex of Winners Chapel, had violently assaulted tax officials and damaged assets of the Ogun State Internal Revenue Service (OGIRS).
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IYALA MAN!
ReplyDeleteIS THIS THEIR EXAMPLE OF GODLINESS?
That's the consequence of mixing Church with comercial/business ventues. I only hope this rather sudden "Revenue & urban regulation" drive by the OGST Govt. is not a targetted witchhunt and does apply to Muslim Institutions, premises and businesses in the State as well. The violence is uncalled for and should be condemned. Even Jesus Christ paid tax while physically on earth and did not flaunt extant laws. Let's always follow the example that He set!
ReplyDeleteBe it Christian or Muslim it doesn't matter. They are using Church business and deceiving who that it is about God! Pray tell should they not pay taxes or build with approval just because it is about God. All these "men of god" sicken me.
DeleteHmmm. A church with a fence, govt fall this time. how can i fence my land and govt will come ant tell or compel me how i will build inside it.....chima
ReplyDeleteCriminals. If you are doing good jobs the whole houses builded on the road in Otta would not be there. Now you are working. Tell Alhaji to sort out the mosque first since you are wise.
ReplyDeleteFirst Round of iyaa. God would now compliment your punishment again. Sorry for you.
ReplyDeleteThese churches has turned themselves into business VENTURES, yet they dont want to be TAXED.
ReplyDeleteGullible members are foolishly turning themselves to MOBS. Ogun state GOVERNMENT shld not allow this high handedness to go unsanctioned.
Ofcourse, Jesus has always shown (irony) his arrongance for if not, how can people who rely on his doctrine to guide, display so much ill behaviour?
ReplyDeleteIn as much as I don't condone violence, but how often are islamic institutions harrassed by the government?
ReplyDeleteAbdulkadir Adoke should watch what He says about Jesus Chrsit. I am sure u will not condole insulting prophet Mohammed. By the time u know and accept d truth (Jesus) you will know the eternal consequence of saying Jesus Christ is arrogant. May God forgive ur foolishness
ReplyDeletei am a christian, to be honest with our self what the church did is not right no mater what they should seek peace first, becos peace gives avenue to setle dispute.
ReplyDeletePls,
ReplyDeleteEschew religious sentiments and speak about the issue at hand. E fit be you OO
BabaPupa!!!
Abdulkadir Adoke will shut up and pls don't start any religious bruhaha here....
ReplyDelete@ Abdulkadir, you are very stupid! How dare you insult my lord Jesus Christ. May God have mercy on your foolishness and ignorance.
ReplyDeleteWhen d'enemy comes like a flood d'lord will raise a standard againt dem.he dat is Fighting the Lord is only boxing the air.lets see hw far dey will get away wt dis
ReplyDeleteAbdulkadir adoke u hv widely advertized ur rude nd incurable ilitracy. Incase u dnt knw (boko haram) rationality is required in certain issues nd nt sentimnt! May mohammed if help u 2 grow up nd posibly cure ur ancestral madness nd stupidity! Foooooooooooooooool!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteAbdulkadir adoke u hv widely advertized ur rude nd incurable ilitracy. Incase u dnt knw (boko haram) rationality is required in certain issues nd nt sentimnt! May mohammed if possible help u 2 grow up nd cure ur ancestral madness nd stupidity!
ReplyDelete@Chima,try 2 hav knwlege of issue u talk abt cos Town Planner must aproved ur Buildng Plan. 2ndly,xtians wer d State officials being beaten up mercilesly. So ppl shud nt talk abt relgion now bt adres d rude behavior of Oyedepo n his Subordinate. LAW
ReplyDeletebefore u start criticizing the church, read the lines very well, somebody was trying to force his way into a premises that he was not approve of, they either sneaked in and was caught and arguement insued, the greater force took the camera and wiped away what they recorded with trick, may b in the process fight started, this is just one side of the story, BISHOP OYEDEPO IS A TRUE MAN OF GOD, HE IS A DISCIPLINARIAN, WHO DOES NOT CONDOLE NONSENSE, so all this story are not adding up, that he was watching. pls dont insult the man of God to avoid the wrought of God.
ReplyDeletepls block all these foolish comments.
ReplyDelete@Gbenga, GOVT. Don't harass ISLAMIC institutions bcos, the people U will meet there will not only SMASH Ur camera but, will also KILL U. U know carrying of knives and Daggar is part of the requirement needed to defend the "glorious" BLACK STONE in MECCA.
ReplyDeleteAbdulkadir Adoke is an avowed hater of Christianity. He is a member of Boko Haram. He should be handed over to the authorities. He is a security risk. People should be ready to defend themselves armed against him and his type.
ReplyDeleteGullible members!!!!! They have been blindfolded with religion that they cant not differentiate right from left. they claimed to be highly religious yet they remain one of the most corrupt nation in the world. what a shame!!!!
ReplyDeletePeople are just saying what they know nothing about............Nobody beat anyone in the process.........I witness the incidence.May God forgive all saying rubbish. Press men writing nonsensical and lying stories have their [lace in hell fire.
ReplyDeleteI think Nigeria eye is gradually becoming Nanaija in disseminating fake news. And how many muslim institution has government went to inspect for any kind of motive/reason. Hmmn! they can only do it to Christians but not to muslim,walahi dey will boko boko them one time.
ReplyDelete
ReplyDeleteRomans 1:21-23- For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks, but they became futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the incorruptible God for an image in the form of corruptible man and of birds and four-footed animals and crawling creatures.
Psalms 31:18- Let the lying lips be mute, Which speak arrogantly against the righteous With pride and contempt.
so much for moderated comments, clean words,without racism. Are these posts your definition of moderated comments, Nigerian Eye?
ReplyDelete