For the second time, some members of the Living Faith Church Worldwide, better known as Winners Chapel have attacked another set of officials of Ogun State Government.

A reporter and cameraman of the state television station, OGTV, were the latest victims.

The State Commisioner for Information and Strategy,Alhaji Yusuph Olaniyonu,identified the assaulted officials as Mr Peter Falomo, a reporter with OGTV and his cameraman, Lekan Egunjobi.

The duo,according to the statement by the commissioner, were severely beaten and their camera was damaged when they went to the Ota premises of the church to cover the service of building inspection notices by officials of the Ministry Of Urban and Physical Planning.


The video camera of the TV crew was forcibly seized and damaged in the process. The camera was only released after the recording had been wiped off.

“Apart from the TV crew, two officials of the Ministry were also injured by the irate church members who prevented the team from entering the premises.

“The assault was witnessed by the Head Pastor of the Church, Bishop David Oyedepo who equally was visibly angry by the decision of the officials to attempt to carry out their statutory duties in his church premises.

“At a point, the Bishop was saying unprintable things while querying the audacity of the state officials to attempt to regulate building of structures for commercial purposes in his church premises.

” The officials of the Ministry of Urban and Physical Planning who were accompanied by policemen had, following the previous day similar assault of their counterparts in the OGIRS, earlier made a report of their planned visit to the Winners Chapel premises at the Divisional Police Station, Onipanu, Ota”,the statement read in parts.

Those wounded were taken to the General hospital in Ota where they were treated and subsequently discharged.

It was gathered that the matter has also been reported to the police.

Commenting on the development, the General Manager in the Ogun State Urban and Physical Planning Board, Mr Stephen Adewolu, who was part of the team that was molested in Ota, expressed shock at the lawlessness displayed by the Winners Chapel members and their leaders.

According to him,”No organisation can carry on as if it is above the law. We have information that the people in that church are just building structures indiscriminately without building approval, without necessary environmental impact assessment reports and they are violating planning laws and regulations.

” We only went there to serve statutory notices on the on-going building development and they are behaving as if the premises of the church is not covered by the laws of the state in which it is located”, he said.

The State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice,Mrs Abimbola Akeredolu confirmed to our correspondent that her Ministry is studying the the facts on the two incidents with a view to take appropriate legal measures.

Also, officials of the Winners Chapel had shunned meetings of the Stakeholders Forum established by the state government for representatives of organisations located in the state to deliberate with the government on issues of common interest, particularly compliance with extant laws on physical planning and taxation.

On Thursday afternoon, security personnel of the Kingdom Heritage Nursery and Primary School, a commercial venture located within the complex of Winners Chapel, had violently assaulted tax officials and damaged assets of the Ogun State Internal Revenue Service (OGIRS)

. . . . .

http://pmnewsnigeria.com/2013/09/07/oyedepo-watches-beating-of-ogtv-staff-by-church-members/

Hmmmmmn no comment

k

Na wa o, I no go talk sha

Where can I download the video? Thanks

if this is true then it is a pity what leadership has turned into in this country

.

If he was truly there, then Oyedepo did not lay a good example for his church members.





Religious bodies must start paying taxes.

emalek86: .

I don catch you

I hope he did not slap any of the officials

no b dis same pastor giv him member dirty slap

The mods like the negatives concerning Christianity and the church ! 'Christians' be careful ! One sided story always ! When the church or the school will speak if they care,we won't see it on the front page !
''He said unprintable things'' E get word wey them no fit print for this world ?

God help us

I am a Winner for Life

All businesses conducted for profit are subject to tax under Nigerian law.

The schools run by Winners' Chapel have been set up with profit-making as an objective. ALL such businesses should be assessed and levied their due taxes.

Any thing in contravention of this is deliberate tax evasion, which is punishable in Nigerian law.

I like the man, but we must call a spade a spade.

Give unto Caesar what is due to Caesar.

Rascality.

Unbeliveable.

Church tinz

Na only God knw who go eventually mak am*ruggedman's voice

m.k.o2005:
The mods like the negatives concerning Christianity and the church ! 'Christians' be careful ! One sided story always ! When the church or the school will speak if they care,we won't see it on the front page !
''He said unprintable things'' E get word wey them no fit print for this world ?

God help us

Why are you always quick to defend anything wrong going on in the church No true christian would cover up wrong doing. What is wrong is wrong and should be condemned no matter whoose ox is gored.

luckgood: I am a Winner for Life

A.K.A poor slave for ever! zombie, all you understand is "go"! wetin you sabi? poor church rat!

THE PASTOR IS A THUG
A THUG IN A SUIT DOESNT CHANGE NUTHING
I WOULD EXPECT NO DIFFERENT FROM HIS FOLLOWERS

Lobatan,
Oya, brainwashed goons come and defend him

Only God knows who's truly serving Him sha . If its true that its happens then I reserve the rest of my comments

ifeness:

A.K.A poor slave for ever! zombie, all you understand is "go"! wetin you sabi? poor church rat!

How did my declaration warrant diz kind of insult?..I guess since I'm a winner then you must be a LOOsEr!

All these tax and regulatory authorities can be too officious. Where were they when the church was developing the place with no single government presence. Now that the place has become big they are showing up to cut their cake.

The church also should be careful because two wrongs do not make a right, and also given the admonition in the holy book: "Follow peace with all men and holiness without wich no man shall see The Lord"

It will be a scandal if evidence is shown that the Bishop is part of the assault.

God help us in this life.