Living Faith Members Protest Church Demolition, Police Assault On Pastor
By Lazarus Zakaa.
Members of Living Faith Church Gwagwalada Abuja on Sunday, protested the demolition of their Church by the Department of Development Control, Federal Capital Development Authority.
Apart from the demolition of the Church, situate along specialist hospital road, Gwagwalada, members of the Church expressed reservation over the way and manner a resident Senior Pastor, Caleb Olubiyi was brutalized by policemen attached to the demolition team.
Addressing journalists at the demolished Church amid various placard carrying members, the Chairman Church Board, Elder Samuel Olalyeye, stated that even though the Church was marked for demolition last two years, “no prior notice was given to the Church before the demolition on Wednesday.
Elder Olaleye described the incident as barbaric, horrific, illegal and disheartening, because according to him, the bulldozers of the department of development control descended on the Church building without notice.
He explained that property title and other verifiable documents showing that the land belongs to Living Faith are in the custody of the Church, and wondered why the FCDA will decide to embark on “a wicked and malicious act without recourse to due process”.
The Church members gave the names of the three police officers who beat Pastor Olubiyi to pulp as J. C Audu, ASP Mathias Agbo and Urento Monday.
Elder Olaleye said the resident pastor has been on hospital admission since Wednesday due to injuries he sustained as a result of the police brutality.
Narrating what led to the assault on Pastor Olubiyi, a legal adviser to the Church, Barrister Olurumotito George said the beating up of the Man of God was uncalled for and highly condemnable.
Barrister George said from eye witness accounts and the narration of the wounded pastor on his hospital bed, the policemen gave Pastor Olubiyi the beating of his life because he attempted to take shots of the bulldozers doing the demolition.
“The pastor on hearing the news of the demolition quickly rushed to the scene”.
He was even on the other side of the road. So, when he brought out his phone to take photographs of the demolition, the policemen sighted him and rushed to him.
“The policemen enquired why he was snapping, and he told them he wanted to send it to our General Overseer, Bishop David Oyedepo”.
“My brother, that was all, the next thing according to Pastor Olubiyi, was beating” Barrister George narrated.
On the next line of action, the legal adviser said the Church has lodged a complaint to the Police Service Commission, alleging criminal victimization of its pastor by the policemen attached to the demolition team.
