Believers Love World (aka Christ Embassy), a church presided over by Pastor Chris Oyakhilome, has sued Lagos State Governor, Babatunde Fashola, for revoking its parcel of land in Oregun, Ikeja.
The church filed an application before Justice Samuel Candide-Johnson, seeking an order restraining the government from further interfering with the land.
The church is challenging the revocation order dated February 15, 2013, on the grounds that the act of the governor interfered with a pending court action, which the land is its subject matter.
The parcel of land, measuring approximately 9183.257 square meters, has since 2002 been a subject of dispute between the church and three others.
The three – Mrs. Titilola Awosusi, Alhaja Omolara Ademosu, and Mr. Abayomi Willoughby – had instituted the suit challenging the church’s claim to the land.
But the church had filed a counter-claim dated March 7, 2013, following the order of the governor to prevent the church’s access to the land.
The counter-claimant is, through its application, seeking an order of Interlocutory Injunction, restraining the Lagos State Government from interfering with its landed property situated at Oyeleke Street, Alausa, Ikeja, Lagos.
Urging the court to grant its request, the church said there was “an urgent need to stop the state government from interfering with the subject matter of the suit.”
Christ Embassy, in its affidavit supporting its application, alleged that while the substantive suit was pending, the state government through its officials, on October 19, 2011, invaded the said land and committed “an act of trespass on the land ”.
The church’s application is fixed for hearing today (Tuesday).