LAND DISPUTE: Man sues Christ Embassy for exhuming mum’s remains

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A resident of Effurun in Warri, Delta State, Mr. Richard Loromeke, has instituted a N100 million suit against the registered trustees of Believers Love World, also known as Christ Embassy, for trespass on his parcel of land and exhumation of remains of his mother, Madam Cecilia Loromeke, buried on the land situated in Aba, Abia State.

The defendants in the suit include Messrs Samson Enwereji, Registered Trustees of Believers Love Church and Remi Chijioke.


Counsel to the claimant in the suit instituted at an Abia State High Court, Mr. R. O. Irikefe and Mr. Patrick Awo-Osagie, said Loromeke was also claiming N992,300 as special damages.

He also prayed the court for an order of perpetual injunction restraining the defendants by themselves, servants, agents, workmen, surrogates, thugs and/or privies from any further trespass on the disputed land.

The claimant prayed the court to declare that he was the person entitled to the statutory right of occupancy in respect of the parcel of land, completely fenced with blocks, known as Egbelu Obuda measuring approximately 100 feet by 483.712 feet square metres.

In his statement of claim, supported by a 25-paragraph affidavit, the claimant averred that his late mother purchased the land in dispute from one Jacob Enwereji in 1997 for farming.

He explained that after his mother’s death and burial in 2006, he continued to manage the estate and collect rent from tenants made up of electricians, mechanics and artisans that her mother leased the land to when she could not farm anymore due to failing health.

He averred that in November 2011, the first defendant started to foment trouble by trespassing on the said land in dispute when he came to serve all the tenants court orders during his absence, which propelled him to warn the trespasser to steer clear of the land.

The claimant noted that while away to Senegal, the first defendant in December of the same year, chased away all the tenants and that in November 2012, without his consent, invaded the land in dispute, demolished his mother’s grave house, which he had erected over his mother’s tomb.

The claimant said he reported the incidents to Zone 9, Police Headquarters, Umuahia, from where officers arrested him, adding that due to the involvement of the police, family and community leaders, the first defendant agreed to rebuild the grave house, which he never did.