Lagos Shuts Down Lord’s Chosen, 6 Other Churches...

The Lagos State Government has shut down
the Lord’s Chosen Charismatic Ministry and
six other churches in Lagos, Southwest
Nigeria over noise pollution.
Officials of the Lagos State Environmental
Protection Agency, LASEPA stormed a branch
of the Lord’s Chosen Church at 25 Omobola
Street, Lawanson, Surulere area at the
weekend and shut it down.
Other affected churches are Bible Church,
FESTAC; The Chapter of Christ Church,
Oregun, Ikeja; Assemblies of God Church,
Ikeja; The Golden Gate Church, Ifako-Ijaiye
and Seek and Save Ministry, Abule Egba.
The closure of the churches is coming after
pre-sanction notices were given to the
churches to abate the noise pollution
emanating from their worship centres.
General Manager, LASEPA, Engr. Rasheed
Shabi said the closure of the churches
became imperative after several abatement
notices issued to them were disregarded.
According to him, some of the churches
even rebuffed meetings called by the agency
on how to resolve the issue.
“The agency’s stance is clear on issue of
noise pollution level permitted. This has
been communicated to all worship centres
in the state.
“The level of noise pollution allowed in the
state is between 55 decibel during the day
and 42 to 45 decibel at night,” he said.
Shabi said the state government was
determined to reduce noise pollution in the
state because of the anomalies and diseases
related to it.
He enjoined worship centres in the state to
comply with the state’s standard on noise,
while suggesting the use of sound proof
equipment by churches to reduce noise
during their worship services.
Meanwhile, the large expanse of land in
Ayobo where the temporary headquarters
of Deeper Life Bible Church is situated may
soon become a subject of litigation, as the
Olalere Family has asked the church to
vacate the land.
The over 150 acres of land covering Amule,
Ayobo and Onikanga communities, currently
accommodates the Deeper Life Bible Church
main auditorium, the International Bible
Training College and the proposed Anchor
University owned by founder of the church,
Pastor Williams Kumuyi.
Although Deeper Life Bible Church has been
in possession of the land for over 30 years,
the Olalere Family who now claim
ownership of the land has declared the
church as an illegal occupant and warned
that the family may resort to court action to
evict the church if it does not legalise its
tenancy of the land.
The Olalere family in a letter to the church
dated 7 February 2012 noted that by virtue
of a 2010 court ruling by Justice Oyekan
Abdullahi, the entire Ayobo community land
belongs to them, and any occupant currently
on the land must renegotiate their tenancy
with the family.
When our reporter contacted the church
over the development, secretary to the
church, Pastor Jerry Asemota, said he was
personally unaware of any letter to the
church by the Olalere family.
He, however, said that only the legal
department of the church could confirm
receipt of such letters.
When asked about the Olalere family’s claim
of ownership to the church land, he said: “I
can assure you that we are not illegal
occupants. We have been in possession of
this land for 30 years and if the initial
owners have problem among themselves,
they should settle it amicably.”