The General Overseer of Faith and Miracle International Church (FMIC), Senior Prophet G.F. David, has alleged that armed men attacked the church’s facility at FMIC City, beside Guruahaji Village along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, destroying property valued at ₦21.72 million.
David disclosed this during a press conference, where he narrated how the alleged attackers invaded the church premises, assaulted workers and set some properties ablaze at about 4 a.m., shortly after the church concluded a three-day programme.
According to him, the programme, titled “Possessing the Gate,” was successfully concluded on Sunday, after which he returned home to rest.
He said he was awakened at about 4 a.m. by information that armed men had invaded the church premises, beaten workers and destroyed property.
“I received a knock on my door that there were armed men beating up our workers and setting the church property ablaze,” he said.
David said he immediately contacted his security team but sent members of his media team to assess the extent of the damage.
He alleged that the attackers shot at his photograph with two types of firearms, an AK-47 rifle and a pump-action gun, adding that the shots were directed at his face.
“We found out that my picture was shot at with two kinds of rifles — pump-action and AK-47. The shots were directed at my face and are still there. We have video evidence,” he said.
The cleric further alleged that the attackers threatened one of the church workers, insisting that the land belonged to another party and not to him.
According to David, several items were destroyed or burnt during the incident, while the attackers allegedly attempted to remove the main entrance gate but could not because of its weight.
Giving a breakdown of the losses, he said the church’s assessment put the total value of the damaged property at ₦21,720,950.
The inventory included 1,440 chairs valued at ₦17.28 million; canopies worth ₦1.85 million; two billboard banners valued at ₦780,250; the main entrance gate, ₦855,300; aluminium windows and nets, ₦520,400; a van windscreen, ₦350,000; and a plastic table valued at ₦85,000.
The cleric described the destruction as a significant financial setback to the church, which he said had invested substantial resources in developing the facility.
David linked the alleged attack to a dispute over the ownership of the 3.5-hectare property, maintaining that the church acquired the land after conducting due diligence and obtaining the necessary documentation from the relevant authorities.
He explained that the church purchased the property in March and was the second buyer, adding that the previous owner had acquired the land in 2007 before selling it.
According to him, the church did not knowingly purchase disputed land and took steps to verify the documents before completing the transaction.
“We acquired the land legally. We did our due diligence and got the C of O from the relevant agencies, the Ministry of Lands,” he said.
Senior Prophet GF David maintained that the church had not been directed by the government to stop work on the property, although the ownership dispute was already before the court.
He said the church had been joined in the legal proceedings instituted over the land and was prepared to allow the judicial process to determine the matter.
“The argument was that he sold the land unlawfully. We checked it in Abuja,” he said, adding that the church had legal representatives handling the dispute.
The cleric said the church had faced threats and opposition since acquiring the property, necessitating the deployment of security personnel to protect workers, worshippers and the facility.
He also recalled an earlier incident during a church programme attended by more than 1,000 people, when he alleged that some individuals burned pepper mixed with cotton wool near the premises, causing choking smoke to drift towards the congregation.
He said some members experienced adverse bodily reactions and sought medical attention, while four people were arrested in connection with the incident and the matter was taken to court.
Following the latest incident, David said the church reported the attack to the police at Eleyele and subsequently embarked on a peaceful protest to the police headquarters to demand intervention.
He said the church had submitted several petitions to the authorities and wanted the alleged attack, destruction of property and threats thoroughly investigated.
Despite the alleged assault and financial losses, he said the church had resolved not to retaliate.
“I decided not to take up a reprisal attack. We took the matter to the law and to the police at Eleyele,” he said.
Senior Prophet GF David explained that the church’s decision to pursue legal action was intended to prevent the dispute from escalating into violence.
“We are peaceful and law-abiding. We made our grievances known to the government,” he said.
He also defended the presence of security personnel at FMIC City, arguing that their deployment was necessary to safeguard the facility and the large number of people who attend church programmes.
According to him, the church can accommodate gatherings of about 2,000 people, making adequate security essential in view of the alleged threats.
The cleric urged the relevant authorities to investigate the circumstances surrounding the attack and resolve the land dispute through lawful means.
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