The Oyo State Government has closed a branch of Christ Life Church situated at Golden Estate, Oluyole, Ibadan, following unresolved issues and tensions between residents and the church.
The closure was deemed necessary to prevent further escalation of the situation, according to the Commissioner of Environment and Natural Resources, Arch. Abdulmojeed Mogbonjubola.
The state government had attempted to mediate between the complainants and the church, but with no resolution, the decision to seal the premises was taken to maintain peace.
He said officials of the Ministry on receipt of several complaints from next-door residents to the Church, over the incessant noise, through official letters and phone calls, visited the area, on Thursday 9th November, 2023.
“The team recorded the sound level of the church activities at intervals, starting from praise-worship, with the average reading of Seventy-four (74) DB (daytime), contravening the Extant Environmental Regulations of 2023, Section 58, Paragraph (b) which states that the noise limits for residential areas at daytime must not exceed 65DB. Hence, it was ascertained with sound measurements that the church constituted noise pollution.”
The Commissioner emphasised that a resolution meeting was held with the parties in the Ministry’s conference room on 29th November 2023 where the Church refused to sign an undertaking letter, with the excuse to get approval from its Headquarters and report back on Monday 4th December 2023.
He frowned at the consistent crisis, which consequently resulted in the sealing of the church.
