Catholics at Nigerian Pastoral Area Lauded for Saving Church Items before Demolition

Abuja, 12 January, 2026 / 6:04 PM

The Archbishop of the Catholic Archdiocese of Abuja has commended members of Holy Cross Pastoral Area of the Archdiocese for their courage in saving Church valuables shortly before their place of worship was demolished.

In his Sunday, January 11, homily at the pastoral area, Archbishop Ignatius Ayau Kaigama said that the demolition occurred just days into the New Year celebrations, forcing the members of the community to work tirelessly to save whatever they could from their church before it was pulled down.

“To the glory of God, the community came out in masses to rescue everything of value from the church. Do not feel so sad. You did your best. For this, I commend you all,” Archbishop Kaigama said.

“You have shown determination and resilience by standing strong to protect your humble place of worship. You have exercised your baptismal obligation of promoting and defending the faith and your church,” the Nigerian Church leader said.

He further congratulated the Catholic community for having exhibited their confirmation mandate “to be witnesses, ambassadors, and soldiers of Christ (not by the use of force) by collectively working to gather anything of value from your old church to be kept for use in the future when providence allows you to start another place of worship.”

The Local Ordinary of Abuja said that the Church, which had served the community for over 30 years, was demolished following a notice that was issued by Nigerian authorities on 3 November 2025.

He said that efforts to engage the developer had been unsuccessful.

According to the Archbishop of Abuja, the Church stands on land freely given by the indigenous Gbagyi community of Kuchingoro.

He said the village chief intervened by writing formally to authorities, confirming that the land had been allocated to the Church to serve the spiritual and social needs of the native community.

“Despite the receipt and acknowledgement of this letter by the Development Control office, preparations for demolition continued,” he said , and added, “These efforts were resisted by the Gbagyi people, who insisted that the developer must first engage them and provide proper relocation and compensation.”

Archbishop Kaigama said that after weeks of struggle, the community’s representative, Hon. Dalamin, informed the Parish Priest, Fr. Moses Akuhwa, that all negotiations had failed.

“The developer insisted that the Church had no legal documentation for the land and stated that the only compensation available would be four million Naira. The Church was then given a three-day ultimatum to remove its belongings or risk losing everything to demolition,” he said.

Archbishop Kaigama expressed solidarity with members of the Holy Cross Pastoral Area, Kuchingoro, praying with them in their new church, which is still under construction.

“I suspended all my engagements for this Sunday to come here in solidarity with you. To pray with you in your church without walls or roof, since the building that served you for decades as a church has been demolished,” the Archbishop said.

“Please be assured of our fraternal closeness and pastoral concern even as you endure the pain of the loss of your place of worship, which served you all, and especially, the indigenous people of the Gbagyi ethnic group, an ethnic group that has long existed before the advent of the Federal Capital Territory,” he added.

The Archbishop reminded them that the Church is not just a building but a people united by faith. He also described the situation as a test of faith, urging them not to run away from challenges.

“This is a test of your faith. After joyfully celebrating Christ’s birth, it is time to prove your faith and defend it. It is not a time to run away. You are not the first to suffer such,” he said.

Archbishop Kaigama reflected on the readings of the day, assuring the community of God’s closeness to those who feel broken and forgotten.

“Brothers and sisters, our faith does not assure us of a smooth journey all the way,” he said, adding that hardship has always been part of the Christian story.

The Archbishop of Abuja expressed hope that a good Samaritan or benefactor would one day support the community in building a new and befitting place of worship.

Archbishop Kaigama called on political leaders to uphold justice, care for the poor and the needy, and use national resources to bring hope and dignity to all Nigerians in 2026 and beyond.