Police Halt Sunday Worship at UNICAL Chapel Amid Ongoing Court Dispute
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Police have halted a Sunday service at UNICAL’s Chapel of Redemption amid a leadership dispute, legal battle and fears of violence between rival factions.
The standoff reportedly began when the university’s caretaker committee and an interim chaplain appointed by the Vice-Chancellor attempted to take control of a service being conducted by the chapel’s substantive chaplain, Rev. Joseph Ushie.
The disagreement created tension among worshippers and prompted the police to intervene to prevent the situation from escalating.
Deputy Commissioner of Police Godwin Etim said he ordered the termination of the service after assessing the situation and concluding that allowing it to continue could result in violence.
“There is palpable tension, and with what I see here, if I allow the service to continue, it will lead to bloodshed in this church,” Etim said.
The police officer said he engaged the chaplain, interim chaplain and a member of the church’s Board of Trustees before the parties agreed to suspend the service.
Etim said the factions had been invited to the police command on Monday for a meeting and urged all parties to remain calm while efforts were made to resolve the dispute.
The development comes amid an ongoing legal battle over the control and activities of the chapel.
A subsisting order of the Federal High Court in Port Harcourt has restrained UNICAL Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Offiong Offiong, and persons acting through him from interfering with the chapel’s premises and activities.
Ushie had instituted the suit against the Vice-Chancellor, the university Registrar, Dr Chukwuka Icha, and three others through his counsel, Chief Mba Ukweni, SAN.
In granting an interim injunction, Justice Phoebe Ayuba restrained the respondents and anyone acting through them from interfering with the chapel’s premises and activities.
The court also directed the parties to maintain the status quo ante bellum pending the hearing and determination of the substantive application scheduled for August 20.
The police intervention was therefore aimed at preventing the leadership disagreement from escalating into a breakdown of law and order as the legal dispute continues.
