RCCG Displaces over 100 Destitutes from Premises

Policemen and security personnel of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) have displaced about 100 destitutes from its camp ground situated at KM 46 Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, Ogun State.

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News Telegraph reports that couples with children, middle-aged men and women as well as the elderly were displaced to different locations in Abeokuta, the state capital, after being picked up via waiting vehicles on Wednesday during a vigil.

Some of them, who claimed to have spent between six months and one year at the Redemption Camp, accused the church authorities of ill-treatment.

One of the victims, a 38-year-old businessman, Emmanuel Obi, explained that he was at the Redemption Camp for the Holy Ghost Service, where he left his wife and headed to Lagos state to buy some goods.

Obi, who hails from Nnewi North Local Government Area of Anambra state, said when he returned, he learnt that his wife and six-month-old baby had been raided and kept in police custody within the camp, hence, his decision to join them.

Another victim, 42-year-old native of Abia state, Priscilla Okonkwo, who voiced her eviction from the church premises, explained that she came to seek refuge following her accommodation challenges at Ajangbadi, Lagos state.

RCCG’s Head of Media, Pastor Olaitan Olubiyi, who absorbed the church of any wrongdoing, denied the accusation that the church compulsorily ejected the destitute from its premises, saying that the church simply eradicated miscreants from the camp.

In his words: “We have a system through which we screen those who genuinely come for prayers. We also have an approved way of taking care of the destitute in the church of God.

“Whenever anyone comes for prayer, we do ensure that we properly document their data in our register to prevent criminal situations. But those ones you see illegally found their ways into the church.

“Some of them were screened for the purpose of knowing their challenges and those with genuine accommodation problems were assisted. But you will discover that they changed their addresses and still return to the church.” He further claimed.