The Lagos State Government has shut down the headquarters of the Lord’s Chosen and Charismatic Revival Church on Ijesha, Oshodi-Apapa Expressway, Lagos, southwest Nigeria over environmental nuisance.
The Lord’s Chosen is founded by Pastor Lazarus Muoka, who serves as the General Overseer of the church.
Officials of the Ministry of the Environment shut down the church on Sunday morning and prevented the worshippers from having their Sunday service usually attended by thousands of faithful.
Investigations revealed that the church does not have solid waste disposal facility. It burns its waste inside the church premises, thereby exposing the lives of its worshippers to serious health hazard.
A substantial part of the sprawling church lies on the Odo Asimawu Canal drainage channel, thereby impeding the flow of storm water.
The church also built its toilets on the canal, thereby discharging all its human waste into the canal.
In order prevent an outbreak of epidemic, the state government had to seal the entire church premises.
The government accused the church of defacing and degrading the environment and refusing to abate the nuisance even after it had been served abatement notice to upgrade the environment.
Commissioner for the Environment, Mr. Tunji Bello said the church had committed lots of environmental abuse which it must abate before the massive edifice could be re-opened by the government as such illegality could not be tolerated any longer.
According to him, the church did not have proper waste management system, adding that it burnt its refuse inside the church, an action which ran fowl of the environmental and sanitation law of the state.
“The church does not have proper sanitary system and they discharge their wastes into the canal. Most of their members trade on the expressway and we don’t want that,” he stated.
Bello added that the church would only be re-opened if it constructed new toilets as well as bagged its solid waste as well as managed such waste properly, saying that the church must build a sewage septic tank for the treatment of waste water.
“The conditions for reopening the church must include: complete sanitization of the entire church environment, putting in place proper solid waste facility, stoppage of refuse burning, removal of all structures on drainage channel, building of new toilet facilities, evacuation of solid waste dumped inside the canal and so on,” he said.
Bello assured that the state government would not shirk its responsibility of protecting Lagos environment and ensure that its residents were protected from environmental abuse.
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| The unkempt environment behind the church |
He said any structure to be erected by the church must be about 50 metres away from the drainage channel and ensure that the environment was kept clean, after which the government would re-open the church.
When P.M.NEWS visited the church this morning, members of the church were working frantically to clean up their environment.
They have also begun massive demolition of structures built on drainage alignment.
The church spokesman, Pastor Chidi, declined to comment on the closure, saying he had not been officially briefed by the General Overseer of the church, Pastor Lazarus Muoka.
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All dis bicus d church blong 2 an igbo man, yoruba pple again
ReplyDeleteIf you don't know what to say then keep quiet.
DeletePlease, let's not tribalise or sectionalise issues. We must also remove sentiments. The place is dirty! What's that got to do with tribe? Please, please, let's be mature here
Deleteso is it true that igbo people are synonymous to dirt? then tell ur people to adjust and able by the environmental law governing that locality and NOT to start blaming another person or group of persons. tx!
DeleteGuy, don't bring sentiments, am ibo too.
ReplyDeleteAre you aware Oyedepo's Winners is also having issues with Ogun State Government.
I thing the most appropriate thing to say is that these so-called Men of God should learn to behave themselves.....
Bad belle, Church belong to JESUS CHRIST not man
ReplyDeleteThings like this can be properly handled,,, Our GOD Says give what belong to Government to them and give What belong to GOD to GOD.... I just hope they have called the attention of the J.O before now..... Please this should not last till the nest Sunday,,, it should be quickly resolved...
ReplyDeleteI beleive cleanliness is next to godliness
ReplyDeletemy beloved ppl,dey shuld not see it as a threat or persecution NO!,but 2 remember dat>cleanliness is nest 2 Godliness,House of God must b clean Ok,but d Govt shuld handle it wit understanding
ReplyDeleteGuys it's not a tribal issue,the church should please do what is right by cleaning the church premises.From the picture if that picture is true men!!!,the church of God is not well kept..It's well.
ReplyDeleteThis is not d inly church dat should be cosed soi many other churches needs to be closed..... Can imagine giving christianity a bad image..... That guy talking about an ibo mans church pls jus shut up.....
ReplyDeleteThe government has acted in good faith. I am an igbo man and the first commentator is very wrong to think about it that way.
ReplyDeleteHandle such issues with God`s Wisdom les you fall into sin with slogish and sentimental commends.Let us obey the Law of the Land. Keep the House of the Lord HOLY. J P
ReplyDelete@ Anonymous -October 8, 2013 at 6:50 PM
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure how shallow minded you are but I can confirm you are an illiterate.
How can you just start talking about tribe without looking at the story. The church has not done well the entire compound is/was dirty and sanitation is very important.
In response to your comment, I might as well say "Igbo's have come with their "dirtiness" to disturb our lagos". Wouldn't that be a silly statement?
Please stop turning everything into a tribal war and besides if you don't Yoruba's go back to your village and eat your garden eggs. Moron!
This is not a matter of Igbo man's church. It is a matter of environmental cleaniness which is key for healthy living. This issue should not be tribalized pls.
ReplyDeletei am an Igbo guy but will not bring sentiments into this discussion. This are dirty $ unkempt. i wonder how they can take care of their environment when they can't take care of themselves. They are really constituting nuisance in our society and they need to be checked. Thumbs up Lagos State Govt.
ReplyDeletewell for me i biliv wat d govt. is doing is ryt as the place is very dirty & there hav bin given notice many tims b4 so y hav there not clean d place since? there shld always kip they environment clean thts alllll.
ReplyDeleteWell done Lagos state. This is good governance at its best. Check out the various type of pollution there. In fact aside from the dubious claims and methods of this church, It has constituted itself into public nuisance where gullible people are being fleeced in the name of Jesus Christ and God. Check out the revelation in the fake miracle video which shows the extend the church can go to deceive people
ReplyDeleteI think the church should do something about there environment so as not to attract such penalties, the house of God must be clean, it is not the government that should tell us that as a christian.
ReplyDeleteYomi
Common house...why throwing abusive words/comments on each other! The issue here is very simple...let the church management observe and adhere to environmental laws and comply to the conditions given..period! Cleanliness they say is next to godliness, so keep the environment clean...our God is a clean God!!
ReplyDeleteIf the Govt. feel she is doing the right thing by closing down the church of God, let it be justify to other churches polluting Lagos environment with clear conscience cos no man ever dare God and go scot free. but if the Govt. acted with envy, the fall of the man has begun watch and u wiil see that God is no respecter of persons no matter how highly placed even Fashiola.
ReplyDelete@ OCTOBER 8, 2013 AT 6:50 PM
ReplyDeleteIt will be nice to address the issues here without whipping up any ethnic sentiments.
If the environment of the church is dirty please clean it up with making any allusions to your tribe.
Or is hygiene or filth associated with a particular tribe? Mind you the ibos are a very clean people, I schooled in the East and i observed their meticulous nature.
Cleanliness is equal to Godliness.for the sake of leadership and followership they need clean environment.forgets about tribe,sentimental or government of the day.talks about the refuses and defaced this are something that needs proper care for healthy living.The church should do something about it.meanwhile,all what government is saying it's for their own.imagine members selling alongside road,if anything happens which we are not pray for,whose responsibility and who will suffer for it.The government are not saying it's not going to reopen it,but the church should put the necessaries in place.
ReplyDeleteIt's not only about their dirty habits in terms of hygiene, also their noise pollution should be checked. Indiscriminate use of megaphones & other public address systems without caring if they're bothering others. In buses,market places & every other place you can find people in reasonable numbers. I am a Christian too,but they are going beyond reasonable limits & need to be checked. They site churches even within residential areas & even share flats within residential blocks, constituting so much nuisance to others in the name of worshipping God.....Chris.
ReplyDeleteIF THE GOVERNMENT IS CHECKING CHURCHES FOR ENVIRONMENTAL SANITATION IN THE STATE. THEY WILL ALSO CHECK THE MOSQUES AS WELL SO THAT THE STATE WILL BE CLEAN. FOR THE HEALTH OF HER CITIZENS
ReplyDeleteThis matter should not be taking personal, The church should adhere to the state instructions and build the sewage and the toilet instead of passing it to the canal. Infact its a case of enough is enough to the church. More greeze to yourelboe lagos state
ReplyDelete