The Akwa Ibom State government has said that the pastor whose church building collapsed and killed 27 people in the state in 2016 is not culpable of any crime.

The tragic incident occurred during the consecration ceremony of the founder and pastor of Reigners Bible Church, Uyo, Akan Weeks, as a bishop.

The church building was still under construction when it caved in.

Thirty-seven people were injured, while additional number of people died later from injuries.

The state Governor, Udom Emmanuel, who was one of the guests at the church ceremony, narrowly escaped unhurt.

The state government, in a white paper released on Monday, rejected the pastor’s indictment by the commission of inquiry it set up to investigate the incident.

The commission, headed by a retired judge, Umoekoyo Essang, said in its report that the pastor’s “undue interference” in the construction work led to the collapse of the church building.

“His (Mr Week) adamant posture of unbridled impunity as the Founder/General Overseer of Reigners Bible Church led to the unfortunate incident of 10 December, 2016,” the commission had said in the report.

The commission said the church didn’t get government permit for the building construction and that the construction work was rushed with impunity to have the event take place in an uncompleted building site.

The state government in rejecting the recommendation of the commission, said: “Facts available indicate that Apostle (Dr.) Akan Weeks relied on the professionals he engaged.

“It is the obligation of the professionals to execute due care and skill in the discharge of their duties or resign where they are not allowed to do so.”

The government also rejected the commission’s report that the Uyo Capital City Development Authority (UCCDA) was remotely responsible for the building collapse for failing to stop the construction work after issuing a ‘stop work’ order.

But the government, however, accepted the commission’s recommendation that the head of planning at the UCCDA, Effiong Akpan, should be punished by the agency.

Two persons who were involved in the building construction is to be prosecuted by the state’s Ministry of Justice for their culpability, according to the white paper.

The building collapse, the white paper said, was due to unprofessionalism and negligence.

A human right lawyer from the state, Inibehe Effiong, while reacting to the release of the white paper, accused Governor Emmanuel of “shielding” the pastor, Mr Weeks, whom he said is the governor’s friend.

“Udom Emmanuel is a friend of Akan Weeks and was physically present during the consecration event when the building collapsed.

“We should remember that the governor himself rode to power on the blood of innocent Akwa Ibom people and does not have respect for human life. This explains why the government has fraudulently exonerated the principal culprit of the building collapse, Akan Weeks.

“Since the government has rejected the findings and recommendations relating to Akan Weeks and the UCCDA, why should any other person be prosecuted? If Akan Weeks, the principal culprit, is not liable despite being indicted by the Commission of Inquiry, why should any other person be held liable?

“Selective justice is also fraudulent justice, and fraudulent justice is not and will never be justice,” Mr Effiong said in a statement he emailed to PREMIUM TIMES, Monday.

The government, which appeared reluctant initially to issue a white paper on the report, came under increasing pressure from the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) and human right campaigners.

The release of the white paper came few weeks after Mr Effiong threatened to sue the government for it.

Source: https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/top-news/264464-akwa-ibom-govt-rejects-pastors-indictment-in-deadly-church-collapse.html

Akwa Ibom state government is currupt to the eyeballs. There statement don't even make sense. The Uyo Capital City Development Authority not remotely responsible for not enforcing their stop order yet the head of UCCDA should be punished. How can the pastor be absolved of responsibility for death of congregation if he received stop order for construction.

I hope i wont be band if i say whats ryt,
udom is a problem to us all here, a very corrupt and bais element. Knowing his rejection by d masses he resolves into paying sycophants to endorse him for 2019. I know God will deliver us from his shackle

There goes the reason why the black world cannot be great, and will remain a shithole. A big man can never be punished in our part of the world! And as long as no one ever gets punished in situations like these, it's a guarantee that it will happen again.

If this happened in the south west, some mumu no go let person hear word

Mtcheww

Please see my signature

Really.

Is the pastor the engineer so why should he be indicted,

Unfortunately, no justice for those killed as a result of negligence.

Maybe if the Governor had died in the building collapse, things would have been different.

twilliamx:
Is the pastor the engineer so why should he be indicted,

Ask TB Joshua who was dragged for his collapsed building

Ask Richard Nyong of Lekki Gardens who is presently being prosecuted for his Lekki Gardens building collapse.

Do you guys think man city can qualify today?

There is no need indicting the Pastor.

The God they are worshiping in that church should be blamed for allowing his abode collapse on his very own worshipers.


I use to think he was the "I am that I am" as they usually say

If you are not safe right infront of his altar, then you cant be safe anywhere.

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He came to you and said "its like my phone is missing, help me flash it'... You dialed his number and the thing ring for his pocket...

Welcome to Nigeria

My sister you just gave him your number

ubongokon:
I hope i wont be band if i say whats ryt,
udom is a problem to us all here, a very corrupt and bais element. Knowing his rejection by d masses he resolves into paying sycophants to endorse him for 2019. I know God will deliver us from his shackle

you won't be "band" my brother..You can't be band lie lie

Chai corruption

How can an inquiry be impartial if it involves people who have vested interests?
You can’t investigate yourself and come up with an outcome that is not beneficial to you?
A structurally sound building regardless of state does not collapse on its own. A building that has flaws will

Sirpaul:
He came to you and said "its like my phone is missing, help me flash it'... You dialed his number and the thing ring for his pocket...

Welcome to Nigeria

My sister you just gave him your number

No I did not
My number was withheld

Each time I remember this incident.... I feel so Disappointed with council of Engineers, safety experts, DSS (because they shd hv assessed the event venue if it's suitable as in safe enough for the Governor to attend) and finally Uyo capital development agency has disappointed their government, it's an average man's building they can demolish or stop but a building dat is to house thousands in hours could not be properly assessed.....

twilliamx:
Is the pastor the engineer so why should he be indicted,

"Essang, said in its report that the pastor’s “undue interference” in the construction work led to the collapse of the church building"


Undue interference means that the pastor didn't allow the engineer(s) to carry out their work as it suppose to be. Maybe he want to cut cost.

No one in Nigeria wants to hold people who hide behind religion to account.

If they did the prisons would be full of the likes of TB Joshua, Pastor Weeks and the other fraudsters who engage in weekly displays of 419 and worse.

......

mmsen:
No one in Nigeria wants to hold people who hide behind religion to account.

If they did the prisons would be full of the likes fo TB Joshua, Pastor Weeks and the other fraudsters who engage in weekly displays of 419 and worse.

Buhari come and carry a cow....

When has pastor become engineer that he should be hold responsible for building collapse in Nigeria

twilliamx:
Is the pastor the engineer so why should he be indicted,

He received "stop work" order but he didn't comply as the owner or man in charge of the project.

Omololu2121:
If this happened in the south west, some mumu no go let person hear word

Mtcheww

Erm what about that synagogue
Has anyone been sued



Meanwhile
Spits on the grave of those who died
Your lives got cut short
In death, justice still eluded you guys.


You see ur life

lol indeed

MissRaine69:

No I did not
My number was withheld

Hnmmmm

After he was call himself a deacon...