Sapele: The crisis in Sapele Anglican Communion, took a new twist on Thursday 29th December 2016 when a heavily armed police team dispatched from the Area command of the Nigeria police Ughelli, stormed the residence of the Rev. Dr. Blessing ErIfeta (JP) at Charles Egbejunle Close off, Esiri Avenue Sapele.
The heavily armed anti-crime team came in response to a petition filed by prominent stakeholders and members of the diocese of Sapele Anglican Communion through their lawyer Excellence Solicitor with their complaint ranging from alleged misappropriation of N800M diocesan funds, forgery, corruption etc.
A close source to the diocese claimed that the peak of the lies and misinformation by the Bishop B.A Erifeta was when he wanted to force a Synod meeting on the Diocese sometimes in July 2016 at the St. John’s Anglican Church, Amukpe –Sapele and despite repeated protest and pleas from the leaders of the local church and leadership of Amukpe Community, Bishop B.A Erifeta went ahead to commenced the Synod.
He alleged further that in the process, he illegally brought heavily armed soldiers and thugs to beat up the aged women of the diocese who were organizing a peaceful protest to register their displeasure with the leadership style of Bishop.
He added that after harassing , assaulting and molesting the innocent church women, the Church leadership in Nigeria ordered Bishop Erifeta to call off the Synod and consequently the Synod was re-schedule to hold from 27th July-31st July 2016 and was abruptly called off in the morning of Friday 29th July 2016 after the brutalization of the innocent church women on 28th July 2016.
The source added that in his desperation, he earlier scheduled a diocesan programme known as Tahlithacumi in the Cathedral church of St. Luke premises but the entire members of the cathedral rejected the programme as they did not only chained all the gates leading to the premises, but brought welders to do a proper welding of the gates leading to the cathedral.
The Bishop it was further alleged after several failed attempt to hold the programme, moved the event from Sapele metropolis, knowing fully well that there is no vacancy in any church premises within the churches in Sapele town to St. Peters Church Mosogar as the members of St. Peters did not only reject the programme but removed all Bishop Erifeta’s banners from their church premises.
Finally the programme was later moved to one Christ Healing Centre in Mosogar as reports also has it from a very dependable source that a traditional ruler had earlier advised the Bishop to move the program from his kingdom to avoid bloodshed like that of Amukpe but the Bishop called him bluff.
The Bishop of the diocese neither his PRO could be researched on phone at the time of filling this report, to get their comment on the recent situation of the diocese.
