L-R: Chancellor, The Diocese of Lagos, Church of Nigeria, Rtd. Justice George Oguntade; Diocesan Bishop of Lagos and Dean Emeritus, Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion), Most Reverend Ephraim Ademowo; Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode; Deputy Chancellor, Diocese of Lagos, Church of Nigeria, Justice Adedayo Oyebanji and Justice Sybil Nwaka during the official opening of the 33rd Synod, Diocese of Lagos Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) at the Our Saviour’s Church, Tafawa Balewa Square, Lagos, on Monday, May 8, 2017
By Onozure Dania
Lagos—The Incorporated Trustees of Word of Life Bible Church has dragged the Lagos State Government to court, over alleged plot to dispossess the Church from a plot of Land in Victoria Island.
In a suit marked LD/3040/14 before Justice Christopher Balogun, of a Lagos State High Court sitting at Igbosere, the church claimed that it was the lawful owner of Block 1, Plot 21E, Victoria Island Annex Residential Scheme in Eti Osa Local Government Area.
Joined as defendants in the suit are Lagos State Governor, Attorney-General, Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development, Building Control Agency, Physical Planning Permit Authority and Task Force on Environmental Sanitation.
In a statement of claim dated March 16, 2015, the claimant, through its lawyer, Kayode Bankole, averred that it acquired the property in 2003 with Certificate of Occupancy No. 68/68.199AR from Habib Nigeria Bank Ltd.
The claimant said it secured “an approval for change of use of the land from residential to institutional place of worship” via a September 7, 2004 letter and that its application for a building plan approval was “received, processed and assessed for payment of various sums of money which the claimant paid.
At the last adjourned date, the defendants were yet to file their defence.
However Justice Balogun adjourned the matter, till July 6.
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