Catholic group raises alarm over alleged bid to promote church land, cemetery in Kaduna

A Catholic group, in Kaduna recognized as The Concerned Catholic Brethren has raised issues over an alleged try by the state chapter of the Girl Guides Association to assert and promote a parcel of land belonging to the Catholic Church, together with an space adjoining a clergymen’ cemetery alongside Independence Way.

The group alleged that some people claiming to characterize the affiliation had been promoting the property on the market, eradicating signposts on the land and counting on a Certificate of Occupancy (C of O) allegedly obtained by means of a earlier administration.

In an announcement, collectively signed by its Chairman, Kenneth Ibrahim, and Secretary, Mrs Olivia Samuel, the group stated the disputed property was half of a bigger expanse initially belonging to the Catholic Church as proprietor of the previous Our Lady of Apostles Teachers College for Women.

It stated the federal government took over the establishment within the early Nineteen Seventies, after which the college turned often called Women Teachers College (WTC), whereas parts of the property had been allotted to the Police Training School and the native authorities.

According to the group, the Church retained possession of some services and parts of the land, together with the Priests’ Burial Ground, Our Lady Primary School, Sacred Heart Primary School and Mother Gregory Hall, positioned beside the cemetery.

The group recognized the world round Mother Gregory Hall, adjoining to the clergymen’ burial floor, as the topic of the present dispute.

It defined that the Church had beforehand operated a college on the property however later discontinued it when the cemetery turned full and required growth.

The corridor was subsequently made out there to voluntary organisations, together with the Scouts, Man O’ War and Girl Guides, for coaching actions for greater than 30 years, with out fee, the assertion stated.

The group, nonetheless, alleged that it found early this yr that the Girl Guides Association had processed a C of O over the property by means of the earlier administration.

Questioning the affiliation’s declare to possession, the Catholic group stated it was unaware of any sale, deed of project or different transaction by means of which the property had been transferred to the organisation.

It additionally warned members of the general public in opposition to buying or getting into into any transaction involving the disputed land, insisting that it remained the property of the Catholic Church.

The group burdened that the Girl Guides Association was not an organisation working beneath the Catholic Church and urged anybody looking for clarification to contact the Church’s management in Kaduna.

Efforts to acquire feedback by means of cellphone calls from the Girl Guides Association, Kaduna state chapter, and Mrs Kantiok, recognized as a outstanding member of the affiliation, had been unsuccessful as of the time of submitting this report.