Sale of church land: Court stops EFCC from arresting Archbishop

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By Madu Obi

An Anambra High Court sitting in Awka has granted an Order of interim injunction stoping the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, from arresting the Archbishop of the Province of the Niger and Bishop of the Diocese of Awka, Anglican Communion, Most Rev Alexander Ibezim, over his alleged sale of the land belonging to the church.

Some members of the church had accused the Archbishop of illegal sale of the landed property belonging to the church, and embezzling the money.

However, it was Prince Echezona Onuigbo, who is not a member of the church, that petitioned the EFCC, which has been investigating the Archbishop.

The petitioners also alleged that the Archbishop was involved in what they called voracious wealth acquisition, and shortchanging some of his allies in sharing the proceeds from the sale of the land.

Granting the injunction, a vacation judge, Justice F.I Aniukwu stopped the anti-graft agency from arresting the prelate, following an ex-parte motion he filed through his lawyer, Mr B.E. Nwofor, SAN.

The Court said that the Order was made upon reading and considering the Motion ex- parte before it, brought pursuant to Order 3,4(a, b (iv) (v) of the fundamental human rights (enforcement procedure) ruled; section 46(1) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, and under the inherent jurisdiction of this Honourable Court.

The ex parte application was filed with an 18- paragraph affidavit deposed by the applicant, praying for an Order of injunction restraining the respondents by themselves and by their staff, servants, officers, workers, agents, or howsoever, from acting on or doing anything whatsoever, based on the 2nd respondent's letter dated 28th July, 2025, addressed to EFCC.

The court added: “The interim Order is made to last till such a period that the parties would have fully exchanged processes in respect of the Motion on Notice No: A/1307M/2025 filed alongside the Motion Ex Parte and the Motion on Notice heard or fixed for hearing by the regular Court."

According to the Order, unless renewed, the Order of Interim Injunction shall elapse 21 days from 9th September, 2025.