The Temple of Glory Abuja, a church in Asokoro, Abuja, has reportedly been demolished by officials of the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA), despite an ongoing court case over the property.
Pastor Iyke, who described himself as a lawyer of 35 years standing, raised the alarm in a video following the demolition, alleging that officials of the Development Control Department proceeded with the exercise while the matter was still before the court.
“Our matter is in court. My name is Pastor Iyke. I’m a lawyer, 35 years standing.
“Our matter is in court, yet Development Control came to pull down our place. Development Control is pulling down our place. They have pulled down our place,” he was heard saying in the video.
According to the pastor, the legal dispute is being heard at Court 35 in Gwarimpa, Abuja, and the parties involved had already appeared before the court.
He also claimed that he had contacted the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, who allegedly assured him that the demolition would be stopped.
“I have spoken with the minister. The minister said he will stop them.
“They have pulled down our place. This is Asokoro. The matter is in court.
“Court 35 in Gwarimpa. My name is Pastor Iyke,” he added.
A social media post also confirmed that Temple of Glory Abuja (@TOGAbuja) had been demolished, describing the development as painful given the pending legal proceedings.
“Yesterday, our beloved place of worship, Temple of Glory Abuja (@TOGAbuja), was demolished by the FCDA,” the post stated.
The post claimed that the relevant parties had entered an appearance in the case and questioned why the demolition was carried out before the court could determine the matter.
“What makes this even more painful is that the matter is already before the court, and the relevant parties have entered appearance. Yet, the demolition proceeded.
“We ask: Why not allow the law to take its full course?”
The post further described the property as more than a physical structure, saying it had served as a place of worship and transformation for members of its community.
“This is not merely about bricks and mortar. This is a place where lives have been transformed, destinies have been restored, prayers have been answered, and generations have encountered God. It is a place deeply cherished by a community of worshippers,” the statement added.
The church maintained that the demolition would not affect its faith community, stressing that its identity extends beyond the physical building.
“The Church is not a building. The Church is the people. And we will stand,” it stated.
The circumstances surrounding the demolition, including the specific basis for the FCDA’s action and the status of the pending court proceedings is yet to be known as of the time of filing this report.
