By Aloysius Umalo, Makurdi
Rev. Tor Ujah, a former Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Christians Pilgrims Commission (NCPC), has been implicated in an illegal land deal involving property belonging to the Benue State University in Makurdi.
The Vice-Chancellor of the university, Professor Tor Joe Iorapuu, has raised concerns about Evangelist Tor Ujah, the owner of Mission House International Church, encroaching on the university's land without permission.
During a tour of the encroached site near the River Benue, Professor Iorapuu revealed that the illegal encroachment has been ongoing for years despite previous efforts by university officials to address the issue.
The Mission House International Church has continued with unauthorized construction activities, including building structures without proper approval, sometimes working at night using torchlights.
One construction site visited revealed giant tree standing in the middle of a six-bedroom structure under construction, with only one bag of cement used and no foundation base, indicating suspicious construction practices.
Professor Iorapuu emphasized that the church created an unauthorized access route through the university's fence, deviating from their original entry point via Duku Park, Wurukum.
The Vice-Chancellor expressed determination to prevent further encroachment on the university's land, which was secured by former Governor, Revd Fr. Moses Adasu for the institution's development.
The General Manager of the Benue State Urban Development Board, Mr. Ternongo Mede, supported the Vice-Chancellor's claims, stating that the structures erected by Mission House International were illegal and lacking proper approval.
Mr. Mede revealed that while 202 hectares of land were officially allocated to the Benue State University, only 1.7 hectares were designated for Mission House, owned by Rev. Tor Ujah.
The Urban Development Board plans to demolish the illegal structures, as ongoing dialogue for compensation have collapsed and previous attempts to resolve the issue through negotiations have failed.
Some residents of Makurdi said the incident brings back memories of Rev. Tor Ujah's dismissal by former President Muhammadu Buhari for financial mismanagement during his tenure as the Executive Secretary of the NCPC.
