Man demands N25m compensation from Catholic Church for forceful eviction

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Osita Obi, a social activist and human rights advocate, has requested N25 million from the Catholic Diocese of Awka for forcibly evicting his wife from a church-owned house.

During a news conference in Awka, Obi gave reporters certified true copies of the ruling that the Catholic Diocese of Awka had won in a lawsuit against the property’s previous owner.

The activist claimed that after his wife resigned as a deputy director in a federal agency, he and his family recently moved from Abuja to Anambra. They found a store in a building, paid for it, and got receipts before starting their business.

However, he said, the Church went to court against the previous owner without the tenants’ knowledge and obtained a judgment. Rather than giving the tenants notice to leave the property, the Church sent police officers to the property, broke down the shop doors, and threw out the tenants’ belongings.

Obi while addressing journalists said: “The destruction of my property was supervised by the Chancellor of the Awka Diocese, Rev. Fr. Charles Ndubuisi, who was physically present, about three weeks ago where they destroyed our properties.

“The church broke into my wife’s shop, destroyed her property, and threw her out like a criminal. She is now in a hospital in Enugu as a result of the trauma.

“We were never served any notice, the church deceived the court and got a judgement. This is not the act of God but pure wickedness.

“What I expected the church to do after securing a favourable court judgement against our former landlord was to tell us of the new development, and ask us to leave, not coming to destroy our property.

“My properties were thrown out under the heavy rainfall of that fateful Thursday, and many were destroyed. I have picked some of my things and taken them to my hometown, but property worth about N5 million was destroyed.

“My wife is still in hospital in Enugu as I speak, as a result of trauma. I’m seeking for the Awka Catholic Diocese to tender a written apology to me and also compensate me to the tune of N25 million for my troubles.

“If they fail to do so, I will have no option than to take them to court.,” the activist said.

He lamented how the Awka Catholic Diocese had dehumanized innocent and impoverished people, the majority of whom are churchgoers, by portraying itself as a terrorist group.

“I want to tell the whole world that Awka Catholic Diocese is worse than bandits. They are worse than Lucifer, and I will stop at nothing to fight them. Let it be known that this fight is not against the Catholic Church, but against the Awka Catholic Diocese who have presented themselves as worse than boko haram terrorists.”

The Chancellor of the Awka Diocese, Rev. Dr. Charles Ndubuisi, had responded in a prior press conference by claiming that police officers and court bailiffs were responsible for the destruction. By declaring that the church would be open to reabsorbing the renters if they reapplied to stay on the property, he absolved the church of responsibility for the destruction of the tenants’ belongings.

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