Church suspends archbishop over alleged N2 billion land sale

The Church of Nigeria, Anglican Communion has suspended its Bishop of Awka and Metropolitan Archbishop on the Niger in Anambra State, Alexander Ibezim.

The Primate of the church, Henry Ndukuba, announced the suspension in a letter addressed to the embattled archbishop.

In the letter dated 13 October 2026, Mr Ndukuba, directed Mr Ibezim to proceed on six months’ leave with “immediate effect” while investigations into allegations against him and recent developments in the diocese commence.

The primate also barred Mr Ibezim from officiating any activities of the church in the Province of the Niger or the Anglican Diocese of Awka throughout the period of his mandatory leave.

Mr Ndukuba explained that the decision to order Mr Ibezim’s compulsory leave followed recent developments in the diocese of Awka, where the archbishop had been at the centre of various allegations and events which, according to the primate, had raised concerns about the integrity and reputation of the church.

The primate reminded Mr Ibezim about various administrative panels set up to probe his activities at the diocese, including a recent visitation team led by the dean of the church.

The church leader mentioned the team’s reports on the issues have been submitted and duly considered.

He explained that the action was taken pursuant to Section 29(1) of Chapter 5 of the Constitution and Canons of the Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) 2020, which grants the primate general authority and supervision over the church and its inherent powers.

Mr Ndukuba stressed that the administrative measure was intended to allow “a fair and thorough investigation” into the allegations against him, while creating room for the restoration of peace and reconciliation in the Diocese of Awka.

The primate added that the leave did not constitute a disciplinary sanction, but was an administrative step to facilitate an impartial inquiry into the state of affairs in the diocese.

“We, hereby direct you to proceed on leave with effect from the date of this letter, for a period of six months, in the first instance, or such other reviewed periods we may consider,” he told the archbishop in the letter obtained by PREMIUM TIMES.

Appointment of a new bishop

In the letter, Mr Ndukuba announced the appointment of the Bishop of the Diocese of Aguata, Samuel Ezeofor,

as the supervising bishop of the church’s Diocese of Awka and coordinating bishop of the Province of the Niger.

He said Mr Ezeofor would “assume and exercise all episcopal responsibilities and oversight” of the Diocese of Awka and the Province Of the Niger during the period of Mr Ibezim’s absence.

The primate directed the suspended archbishop to handover to the newly appointed supervisory bishop of the diocese.

Mr Ezeofor, the chancellor and registrar of the church, the Provincial Council of the Province of the Niger and the Diocesan Board of the Diocese of Awka were all copied in the letter.

N2 billion land sale

The letter neither specified the allegations against Mr Ibezim nor provided details of the findings contained in the visitation team’s report.

However, PREMIUM TIMES gathered that one of the allegations against the suspended archbishop was that he sold the church’s land for N2 billion without authorisation from church authorities.

When the allegations first became public, Echezona Onuigbo, a member of St. Faith Cathedral, an Anglican church within the diocese in Awka reportedly petitioned the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in July 2025.

READ ALSO: Church suspends pastor over fake miracles

By August of that year, there were speculations that EFCC operatives were plotting to arrest the archbishop over the allegations in the petition.

But the Anambra State High Court in Awka stopped the planned arrest following an order issued by Justice F.I. Aniukwu.

The order was granted in response to an ex parte motion dated 4 September 2025, filed by the archbishop through his lawyer, B.E.I. Nwofor, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria.

The controversy also led to the archbishop dismissing the chancellor of the Diocese of Awka, O.J. Okeke, a retired judge.