The buildings, which were not erected on the road, were demolished under the supervision of detachment of policemen from the state police command.
The demolition brought mixed feelings to the people within and outside the area as those who cared to know the cause of the action were told the cause.
To many, the buildings were supposed to be allowed since they have been erected already while compensation should be paid to the person who had laid claims to the land they were erected.
But one of the owners of the land, one Mrs. Anadi, reportedly warned the church and owners of the two buildings affected in the demolition of the consequences of erecting the buildings and left for further studies abroad.
Sources close to the woman said when she arrived after some years, she saw buildings and church erected on the land and immediately proceeded to a high court in Abakaliki, where she secured a court order for the buildings’ demolition.
The woman, after securing the order, reportedly gave a copy to the police and so last week, the buildings were demolished. During the demolition, tears rained like river.
Mr.Ogbu Ignatius Baba, one of the pastors of the Watchman Catholic Charismatic Movement, Nkaliki, while lamenting the demolition, said that the demolition was carried out in bad faith, adding that they were not given fair hearing since they were not joined in the suit.
He stated that they were only notified of the ruling of the court in January this year and they had filed a motion on notice which he said was coming up on Thursday before the demolition.
He noted that the land was sold to them by a member of the community after they had made relevant investigations and that the papers were still with them.
“On January one Mrs. Amadi brought a court ruling from state High Court 3 Abakaliki presided over by one Justice Nwige, claiming that this land and others here belong to her grandfather and that we should vacate the land and we said why didn’t you involve us in the petition to enable us state our case.
“We immediately filed a motion on notice to challenge the judgment which is coming up on Thursday this week. We are surprised that this action is taking place now and we believe that it is unfair to us.
“We will not relent in serving God, no matter what has happened and we are sad that instead of waiting for the motion on notice we filed in the court to come up, our church was demolished to the foundation level.
“Yes, we no longer have a place to serve God. This wicked act will not deter us from worshipping God. It is one of the tribulations that befall people of God. You must be persecuted and given all manner of inhuman treatment if you must serve God in truth and in spirit”, he said.
He expressed shock at the demolition, adding that the church did proper investigation before the land was bought three years ago and that the church never received any court order ordering them to vacate the premises.
On his part, another worshipper, who gave his name simply as Benjamin, and who condemned the demolition, added that no one has the right to demolish the House of God, no matter the gravity of offence the church must have committed.
He urged the church members not to relent in their service to God, as according to him, the church always faced persecution towards reproduction and multiplication.
Another member, Okorie Lovely, who spoke to New Telegraph, frowned at the demolition of the church building and called on the state government for assistance.
“I am not happy seeing our church demolished this way. Even the children auditorium was also demolished. I appeal to the state government to please come to our aid, for our place of worship has been destroyed”.
When contacted, the Ebonyi State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Jude Madu, said that he was not in possession of the details of the demolition and however said that the police were carrying out court orders and promised to give detailed comment when properly briefed.
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