Chukwuemeka Ohanaemere, better known as Odumeje, is a well-known preacher, and Anambra State Governor Prof. Chukwuma Soludo has stated that he will cover the expense of tearing down his church.
Soludo, who spoke on Friday night, claimed that notices had been issued on all homeowners whose homes had been designated for demolition and that they had been instructed to dismantle the structures within a certain period of time.
Two parishes of the Catholic church, according to Soludo, are currently awaiting demolition.
"It is expensive for us. They were repeatedly given notices to take down these constructions, but they resisted.
"Demolition began on Thursday, and things are going well thus far. Except for Pastor Odumeje, who reportedly drove in brazenly and sought to seize control of the machinery, the demolition went smoothly.
Naturally, state business had to continue, so security had to halt him. This was a man who spoke and attended several of our sessions.
"In actuality, this is costing us money, and the constructions ought to have been taken down sooner, but they opted to try the government's resolve.
"Once this exercise is complete, we will gather the invoices and submit them to the parties concerned, and they are required to pay."
St. Dominic Catholic Church and Our Lady Queen Catholic Church, according to Soludo, are two Catholic parishes implicated in the illegal structure removal.
According to him, the parish priest of the Catholic parish of Our Lady Queen was present when the demolition team went, and he even collaborated and agreed to an interview.
He lamented that Pastor Odumeje tried to interrupt the activity by enforcing the law.