RCCG Faces Eviction In Akwa Ibom Over Refusal To Pay Three Years’ Rent

This is also in addition to an outstanding amount for the property which the church indicated interest to purchase in 2015.

According to a report by SaharaReporters, the Redeemed Christian Church of God currently risks eviction from a property occupied by the Grace and Glory Parish of the Redeemed Church located at 67, Willington Bassey Way, Uyo, Akwa Ibom State.

This is due to alleged refusal of the church to pay three years arrears’ of rent.

This is also in addition to an outstanding amount for the property which the church indicated interest to purchase in 2015.

Documents seen by SaharaReporters revealed that the church had been a tenant in the property owned by the Uyo Village Traders Multi-Purpose Co-Operative Society Limited for many years.

In 2015, the property owners offered to sell the property to the church.

After a series of correspondences and negotiations, the church, through her solicitors in a letter dated June 29, 2016, offered to pay the sum of N55Million for the purchase of the property accepted by the Uyo Village Traders Multi-Purpose Co-Operative Society Limited.

However, the RCCG reneged on the agreement and failed to pay the full amount for the property as agreed but only paid the sum of N20Million, leaving an outstanding sum of N35,000,000 unpaid till date.

Despite a series of requests from the property owners, the church has refused to pay the balance.

Also, despite refusing to pay the balance for the purchase of the property, the church has equally refused to pay a meagre yearly rent of N290,000 to the owners of the since 2017.

In a demand letter dated November 23, 2020, addressed to Pastor J. A. Obayemi, who is the National Overseer/Assistant General Overseer (Finance) of the RCCG, the lawyer to the Uyo Village Traders Multi-Purpose Co-Operative Society Limited, Mr. Inibehe Effiong, gave the church a 14-day ultimatum to pay the three years arrears’ of rent.

He noted that N35,000,000 should also be paid as an outstanding sum for the property purchase and the sum of N10,000,000 as damages for breach of contract.

Despite receiving the lawyer’s demand letter, the RCCG headed by Pastor Enoch Adeboye refused to settle the demands made.

After waiting for about one month without a response from the church, Effiong sent a letter of reminder to Pastor Obayemi and gave the church additional seven days to settle his client’s demands.

“It is indeed a sad commentary that one of the largest Christian denominations in Nigeria and indeed the world, has acted in this manner. It betrays the very Christian and godly values that the House of God should exemplify.

“Since the friendly and amicable approach of our client has been serially taken for granted by your Church, our client is left with no choice but to explore other legal options; including advertising the property for sale, sell off the said property to a serious buyer and eviction of the church from the property,” Effiong wrote in his reminder to the church.