Mbieri community battle Catholic church

www.odogwublog.com reports that the Mbieri people in Mbaitoli local government area of Imo State have locked horns with the Catholic church authorities in the state over refusal to pay rent on their land now valued at N2.5billion at a State high court.
The community comprising of Ubakiri-Mbieri; Umuagwu-Mbieri; Amankuta-Mbieri; and Amogugu-Mbieri filed a suit against the Catholic Bishop of Owerri, Archbishop Anthony Obinna and the registered trustee of the Roman Catholic Mission of the Vicariate of Onitsha-Owerri, over the refusal of Christ the King Catholic Parish, Mbieri to pay rent spanning years.
The community in suit number HOW/625/2016 alleged that they  entered into a lease agreement with the church over a 40-acres parcel of land in 1948 with a deed of lease dated March 30th, 1950 as evidence.
The community argued that the church agreed to pay rent annually valued at one shilling and was subject to review every 20 years, and that part of the agreement was that failure to pay rent, the lease should cease.
The land owners said that since 1960, the Church has failed to pay rent; failed to review the rent; and failed to fence off the land as agreed in 1948.
According to the claimants, as at December 2016, the arrears have accumulated to N2.5billion, saying the church has no legal rights to continue laying claims to the land in dispute.
They alleged that they have suffered untold hardship and denial of rent since 1960 till date.
They prayed the court to declare them the rightful owners of the land and restrain the Church from entering the land.