Akwa-Ibom government marks Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) for demolition

- Akwa Ibom government has marked the multi-million naira building of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, (RCCG), Uyo, for demolition

- The building is reportedly built on a land prone to landslide

- The government accused the church of not taking permission before erecting the building

The Akwa Ibom state government has ordered the demolition of a building belonging to the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) in Uyo.

The church building which is worth several millions of naira became a concern for the government after the collapse of the Reigners Church building, December 10, 2016, where several people lost their lives. Akwa Ibom governor, Udom Emmanuel nearly lost his life in the incident

The state government ordered the demolition of the RCCG building the church built the building without obtaining a government permit.

The land the church was built on was built on a land reportedly prone to a landslide and this could cause danger in the future.

Premium Times reports that the director of Town Planning, Effiong Akpan, confirmed that they were set to demolish the church.

Akpan said: “We have written to the government to release the funds needed for the demolition. We will pull down the building as soon as we get the money.

“It is not only the Redeemed Church that is affected, all the buildings along the Uyo Village Road that we have marked will be demolished.”

About three more other churches in the area, including a petrol station, are affected.

The Uyo local government office, at the Uyo Village Road, is exempted from the planned demolition because it was built before the government declared the area a conservation area.

A worshipper at the church who hopes the church won’t be demolished told reporters that: “God says, on this rock I will build my church, and the gate of hell shall not prevail.”

Meanwhile, the Akwa Ibom state commissioner of police, Mr Murtala Mani, has been ordered to release Mr Anietie Augustine from custody.

Augustine is the architect in charge of the Reigners’ Bible Church building that collapsed in Uyo on Saturday, December 10, 2016.

The order was from the commission of inquiry set up by the Akwa Ibom State government to unravel why the cause of the incident.