Tension has escalated over a 3.5-acre parcel of land along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway as the Faith and Miracle International Church and the One Love Family, founded by Satguru Maharaj Ji, traded accusations over an alleged confrontation that led to the arrest of five people.
The Oyo State Police Command arrested five security personnel linked to Maharaj Ji’s spiritual community following the dispute, while the church alleged that some of its members were injured and hospitalised after an attack involving what it described as burnt pepper spray.
The land, said to be worth millions of naira, is claimed by Maharaj Ji as part of his spiritual community, which he refers to as the Holy Land. The church, however, insists it legally acquired the property and possesses a Deed of Conveyance and Certificate of Occupancy.
Speaking at a press conference in Ibadan, the General Overseer of the church, Pastor Genga Faith David, said the dispute followed a crusade held on the property with the theme, “Possessing the Gate”.
David alleged that some church members were attacked after the programme by people identified as members of Maharaj Ji’s community.
“The land in question is legally owned by the church. We have both the Deed of Conveyance and Certificate of Occupancy as proof,” he said.
He said some of the church members were injured and taken to hospitals in Ibadan, adding that the church had chosen peaceful protest and police intervention rather than taking the law into its own hands.
David also denied an allegation by Maharaj Ji that the crusade was part of a plot to kill him, saying he did not understand the reference to “Operation Wetie”.
“Maharaj Ji even alleged us of the plot to kill him and labelled our crusade as ‘Operation Wetie’,” he said.
The cleric appealed to the spiritual leader to allow peace to prevail and urged security agencies to intervene before the dispute developed into a wider religious crisis.
Maharaj Ji, however, rejected the church’s account, accusing its members of trespassing on the Holy Land and describing them as illegal occupants.
He said five of his security personnel were arrested after they attempted to prevent the church members from entering the spiritual community.
The arrested men were identified as Ogochukwu Ogonna, Chijoke Orji, Osike Itabalume, Ugonna Chukwu and Elue Mazi.
Maharaj Ji said he was not present when the confrontation occurred but was informed by his security personnel that the church members had entered the community and claimed they wanted to cut trees.
He alleged that his men asked them to leave and use the access route to their own premises, but they refused, resulting in the confrontation.
According to him, the security personnel attempted to raise the alarm and settle the matter before the police arrived and arrested them. The men were initially taken to Tollgate Police Station before being transferred to the Eleyele Police Command.
“These are people doing security service here, and so we ask for their release,” Maharaj Ji said.
He maintained that the disputed area was part of his spiritual community and that visitors were expected to follow established access protocols.
“We have protocols on this spiritual land, and they breached the protocol,” he said.
Maharaj Ji also accused the church of using the police to intimidate his community and urged the authorities to investigate the arrests.
Both sides appealed for official intervention, with Maharaj Ji warning against further escalation and possible loss of lives.
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