Church Petitions IG over Illegal Police Occupation

The Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, has been urged to withdraw armed policemen that purportedly sealed up the premises of the Embrace International Assembly, Ikorodu, Lagos, allegedly on the order of Foursquare Gospel Church.

Following an injunction being contested in one of the lingering legal battles between the Senior Pastor of Embrace International Assembly, Pastor Isaac Adeyemi and his former church, Foursquare Gospel Church, some policemen have since Sunday, February 11, prevented members of the church from gaining access into the church premises.

Speaking on the matter, in a chat with THISDAY, some members of the Embrace Assembly board of trustees; Mr. Segun Oluwadoromi, Mr. Adebayo Adio, Pastor Tunji Amokade and Mr. Lateef Olaleye, said it was high time police IG looks into the occupation of their church by policemen to determine the legality of their action.

According to Adio, who spoke on behalf of the board of trustees, since the injunction was against Pastor Adeyemi and not the church and it has been appealed, the police action amounts to partisanship and illegality.

Part of the petition addressed to the police IG reads: "We are an international Christian church located at 89/93, Obafemi Awolowo Road, Erunwen Junction, Ikorodu, Lagos. We are constrained to approach your high office with the continued presence of armed policemen in our church under the guise of executing an order to seal up the premises at the instance of Foursquare Church of Nigeria.

"On February 9, 2018, a team of policemen, purportedly acting under the instructions of the Commissioner of Police stormed the property and in the middle of worship, turned out at gun point and told all the members that they had order of court to seal the property. The order was never shown to anyone, despite repeated demands for it.

"We make bold to say and challenge the Commissioner of Police, Lagos State to show us the said order directing that the property be sealed up. It is interesting to say, Sir, that there is no single order, no matter how scanty, to seal our church, Embrace International Assembly."

Adio, said if the police authority looks into how the former Lagos State Commissioner of Police handled, it showed greater degree of impartiality.

"The former Commissioner had mediated in the matter. He called the parties and advised that we should wait for the court to determine the case, which is exactly what we are also asking for," he said.