Awka diocese threatens to quit Church of Nigeria over bishop’s suspension

The Diocesan Board of the Diocese of Awka, Anglican Communion, has rejected the directive by the Primate of the Church of Nigeria, Most Rev. Henry Ndukuba, directing the Archbishop of the Province of the Niger and Bishop of the Diocese of Awka, Most Rev. Alexander Ibezim, to proceed on six months’ leave with immediate effect.

Recall that Ndukuba had directed Ibezim to proceed on six months’ compulsory leave with immediate effect, following investigations into allegations of “misuse and misappropriation of funds, crisis as well as recent developments” in the Diocese of Awka.

Ndukuba, in a letter dated Tuesday, October 13, 2026, also announced the appointment of the Bishop of the Diocese of Aguata, the Rt. Rev. Samuel Ezeofor, as Supervising Bishop of the Diocese of Awka and Coordinating Bishop of the Province of the Niger during Ibezim’s absence.

However, reacting to the development, the Diocesan Board of the Diocese of Awka, Anglican Communion, rejected the six-month compulsory leave of Ibezim and also rejected Ezeofor’s appointment, threatening to withdraw from the Church of Nigeria if the decisions were not reversed.

The board’s decisions were contained in a communiqué issued at the end of an emergency meeting of the Diocesan Board held on Friday, October 16, 2026, at the Chapel of Divine Favour, Anglican Village in Ifite-Awka.

The communiqué, made available to journalists on Sunday, was signed by the Lord Chancellor of the Diocese, Sir B.E.I. Nwofor, SAN; Synod Secretary, Ven. K.E.N. Chukwukamma; and Lay Synod Secretary, Mr Eugene Okonkwo.

In the communique, the board rejected in its entirety the Primate’s letter, arguing that the directive and Ezeofor’s appointment should be disregarded pending court cases involving Ibezim, the Primate and other parties.

It cited three suits before the Anambra State High Court: Suit No. A/Misc. 446/2025, involving Ibezim and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission; Suit No. A/Misc. 494/2026, involving Ibezim, the Inspector-General of Police and others; and Suit No. A/371/2026, involving Ibezim, Ndukuba and another party.

According to the board, the cases concerning allegations against Ibezim are already before the court, and all parties should refrain from actions capable of interfering with the matters pending their determination.

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The communique read in part, “At the emergency Diocesan Board meeting of Diocese of Awka (Anglican Communion) on October 16, 2026, the following resolutions and decisions were reached after exhaustive deliberations on the letter dated 13th October, 2026 by His Grace, The Most Revd Henry C. Ndukuba, Archbishop, Metropolitan and Primate of All Nigeria:

“The Board emphatically rejects in its entirety the said letter. More specifically, the Board rejects the directive to His Grace, The Most Revd Alexander Ibezim, Archbishop, Province of the Niger and Bishop, Diocese of Awka, to proceed on six months’ compulsory leave.

“The Board rejects the appointment of His Lordship Rt. Revd Samuel Ezeofor as supervising Bishop of Awka Diocese and Coordinating Bishop of Province of the Niger because of the following reasons:

“The appointment was made in disregard of pending litigation in Suit No. A/Misc 446/2025: The Most Revd Alexander Chibuzo Ibezim VS Economic and Financial Crimes Commission filed on 4th September, 2025; Suit No. A/Misc. 494/2026: The Most Revd Alexander Chibuzo Ibezim VS Inspector General of Police and others, filed on 2nd October, 2026 and Suit No. A/371/2026 – The Most Revd Alexander Chibuzo Ibezim VS The Most Revd Henry Ndukuba and Anor, filed on 13th October, 2026.”

The Board noted that “these suits are still pending for determination by the High Court of Anambra State and the subject matters of these suits are the various allegations made against His Grace, The Most Revd Alexander Ibezim, His Grace, The Most Revd Henry Ndukuba, Archbishop Metropolitan and Primate of All Nigeria, His Lordship Rt. Revd Samuel Ezeofor and many members of the Church of Nigeria are fully aware of the pendency in court of these cases and are duty-bound in law to refrain from doing anything whatsoever to interfere with the subject matters of the suits until the determination of the cases by the court.

“Section 29(1) of the Constitution and Canons of the Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) 2020 cited by the Primate in his letter of 13th October, 2026 is inapplicable as it contains nothing empowering the Primate to force a fellow Bishop and Archbishop to proceed on compulsory leave and hand over his duties to another Bishop and precluding the Bishop from officiating in any activities of the Church of Nigeria  (Anglican Communion), of the Niger Province and Awka Diocese.

“Such draconian, oppressive, vindictive and grossly unjust decisions by the Primate against Archbishop Ibezim violate section 36 (5) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, as amended, which presumes any one accused or charged with a criminal offence as innocent until proven guilty.

“Also, by banning him from officiating in any activities of the Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion), of the Niger Province and Diocese of Awka, the Primate violated section 38 (1) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, as amended, which gave Archbishop Ibezim the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion and to propagate his religion in worship, teaching, practice and observance,” among others.

“The Board emphatically states that if the Primate and Bishop Ezeofor continue threatening the peace of Awka Diocese and its Archbishop and bishop, and unlawfully interfere with its affairs, it shall withdraw from the Church of Nigeria and continue with the Church of England, which never disturbed the Diocese,” the statement concluded.