Despite a restraining a Order by an Imo State High Court, in Suit No. HOW/773/2024, Chukwuebuka Obi (popularly known as Ebuka Obi) the General Overseer/Founder of Zion Gate Ministries, is proceeding in contempt to enter and clear a parcel of land, which is the subject matter in the above said suit.
The 1st Plaintiff , Chelsea Group Limited, was allocated the land by the Imo State Government under a Public Private Partnership Agreement for the development of an industrial Park/Hub, known as the Imo/Chelsea Industrial Park which is already an Export Processing Zone (EPZ) aimed at the creation of employment and job opportunities for Imo State indigenes and Nigerians at large.
The Defendants in the above suit are, the Imo State Government as the 1st and 2nd Defendants, the respective Heads of the four Autonomous Communities that make up the Ngor-Okpala Local Government Area of Imo State, known as the Eze, as the 3rd to the 6th Defendants, Mr. Sopuruchi Ukuoma the 7th Defendant and Mr Chukwuebuka Obi, the Founder and General Overseer of the Zion Gate Ministries, as the 8th Defendant.
All parties have been restrained but Ebuka Obi is still constructing is his church building on the land and intends to conclude the church’s prayers and fasting with a crusade on the land in a couple of days from now.This attitude of acting with impunity and flouting court orders is not befitting of a clergyman. I thereby call on him to emulate the teachings of Christ and obey constituted authority, such as the subsisting court order.
Oluonumurukwa, is informed by a source conversant with the matter, that on Wednesday, some youths within the community who are bent on ensuring that they benefit from the economic development which the Industrial Park will provide, have taken over the land to protect it from been further encroached upon by members of the Ebuka Obi’s church or any other person or group of persons, with respect to the building and construction currently going on there.
This is likely to degenerate into chaos, as from what we have gathered, Ebuka Obi is planning to conclude the church’s 100 days prayer and fasting spiritual exercise on the same land.
When we reached Rex Erameh Esq.
Lead Counsel to Chelsea Group Limited, he declined to make elaborate comment as the matter is pending in court but “called on the IGP to wade into this matter before it degenerates further, especially as there is a subsisting court Order of injunction.”
He also appealed to Ebuka, General Overseer/Founder of Zion Gate Ministries, to show good example to his followers by obeying the injunction issued by a competent court restraining all, from taking any action on any part of that 2,000 (Two Thousand) hectares of land lying and situate at Ngor-Okpala Local Government Area of Imo State.
Ebuka Obi Of Zion Ministry Restrained By Court.
