Police arrests Apostolic Church pastor, agent over alleged land grabbing

Osun state Police Command on Wednesday, arrested the Pastor of The Apostolic Church, Temidire Estate, Osogbo, Pastor Obanewo, for allegedly invading on a land that does not belong to the church.

The police also arrested an elder of the church, Elder Faloye Festus Ayoku, the estate agent, Muritala Adewale, who was alleged to have allocated the piece of land to the church.

Four bricklayers engaged to work on the land were also quizzed by the police while other church members are still at large.

It was gathered that the land in question belonged to one Dr. Charles Oluokun who has traveled to the United State of America.

The US-based Oluokun who assigned his two brothers in Nigeria to monitor the land later discovered that the land has been invaded by The Apostolic Church.

The two brothers of the land owner, Adebowale Oluokun and Adeniji Adekunle, through their lawyer, Benjamin Akindoyin, on July 8, 2016, wrote the Osun state Commissioner of Police, alleging demolition of a building erected by their brother before he traveled to the US.

The letter written to the CP reads in part: “our client were surprised when they discover the demolition by the alleged church members and from their preliminary investigation, they told our client that they thought their elder brother is no more having interest in the said land and they (the Apostolic Church) being the church of God wants to use the land and they decided to demolish the entire building.

The lawyer also alleged that the church could not give full account of who allocated the land to them.

The Office of the Area Commander of Nigeria Police, Osogbo, had in March 7, 2016, written the office of the Coordinating Director, Bureau of Land, to confirm the authenticity of Certificate of Occupancy of the land as claimed by Oluokun.

However, in its reply, the Bureau of Land, Office of the Governor of Osun state, confirmed the authenticity of the C of O.

A letter signed by one I. T. Oyeyemi of the Bureau of Land, stated that “I am directed to refer to your letter Ref. No. AR: 3100/OSS/OSGA/VOL.4/40 dated 7th March, 2016 and to inform you that the Certificate of Statutory Right of Occupancy dated 31st July, 1989 and registered as No.36 page 36 Volume 2905 in the Register of Deeds has been confirmed to be authentic and free from encumbrances.

The Police Public Relation Officer, Mr Ajibade Egbedele confirmed the arrest, saying that they were arrested based on petition received by the command.

Egbedele said the suspects were alleged of demolishing the building on the land before they started constructing church on it, adding that investigation is still on to unravel those involved in the criminal act.