Awka, August 24, 2025 — The Campaign for Democracy (CD) and Human Rights, Liberty Access and Peace Defenders’ Foundation (HURIDE) have strongly criticized the recent forceful eviction of tenants from a property in Awka allegedly carried out by officials of the Catholic Diocese of Awka.
In a joint statement issued in Awka, the rights groups condemned the eviction as “insensitive and unjust,” accusing the Diocese of bypassing due process and failing to serve adequate notice to the affected tenants, despite claiming to be acting on a valid court judgment.
“It is deeply troubling that an institution like the Catholic Church, regarded as a sanctuary for the oppressed and a beacon of Christ’s teachings, would carry out such a callous eviction,” the statement read.
The eviction took place at No. 27 Secretariat Road, Awka, where court bailiffs allegedly under the supervision of Rev. Father Charles Ndubuisi, Chancellor of the Catholic Diocese reportedly destroyed the wares and belongings of shop tenants during the exercise.
The Chancellor, however, insisted that the eviction was legally executed in accordance with a court order issued by Magistrate E.C. Chukwu of the Awka Magistrate Court. The court had granted the Diocese immediate possession of the property, which is said to have been owned by a deceased Catholic priest.
But according to Mr. Osita Obi, whose wife, a retired Deputy Director in the Federal Civil Service was among the affected tenants, no quit notice or formal court document was served prior to the eviction. He claimed that his wife lost goods worth over ₦25 million in the incident.
Dede Uzor A. Uzor, South East Zonal Chairman of CD and Executive Director of HURIDE, questioned the morality of the church’s actions: “If the church behaves with this level of insensitivity and disregard for human dignity, what message are they preaching? What hope remains for the common man when even the church turns against them?”
The rights groups maintained they were not opposed to the church reclaiming its property if done lawfully but emphasized that such actions must reflect compassion and align with the church’s humanitarian values.
“This kind of hurried execution, which seems designed to prevent appeals, lacks transparency and undermines the church’s credibility,” the groups said. “Even with a valid court judgment, the tenants deserved to be notified and treated with dignity.”
They urged the Catholic Diocese of Awka to reflect on its role as a moral and spiritual authority, cautioning that actions inconsistent with the gospel of compassion and justice could erode public trust in the institution.