Claims of plot sales, ownership restrictions and unresolved community disputes emerge around Zion Ministry’s 21,000-plot development
Questions are mounting over the acquisition, development and subsequent use of the vast parcel of land secured by Zion Ministry for its proposed Zion City in Ngor-Okpala, Imo State, amid a long-running dispute involving host communities, the state government and other parties.
The controversy has resurfaced following allegations attributed to online commentator Diamond Dietanuru Osakoigho, popularly known as Paranran, who has made a series of claims about how portions of the land are allegedly being allocated to members and prospective property owners.
Among the claims are allegations that individuals are being asked to pay as much as ₦15 million for plots, that prospective owners are required to sign agreements containing restrictions on the use or transfer of the property, and that some beneficiaries allegedly do not receive conventional evidence of ownership.
The claims have not been independently established by IBN News and should not be treated as proven facts without documentary evidence or a response from Zion Ministry.
What is independently documented, however, is the scale of the development.
In August 2024, a senior official of Zion Ministry, Patrick Iheonu, announced that the ministry had secured 21,000 plots of land in Ngor-Okpala for the development of a proposed Zion City.
According to the ministry’s publicly stated plan, the project was expected to contain far more than a worship centre, with a university, secondary school, hospital and facilities for elderly people listed among the proposed developments.
The size and intended purpose of the development have since attracted significant public interest because of the competing claims surrounding the land.
Dispute Over Ownership And Acquisition
In 2024, Chelsea Group Limited publicly challenged the church’s occupation of part of the disputed property.
The company’s lawyer, Rex Erameh, alleged that the land had previously been allocated to Imo-Chelsea Industrial Park Limited under a public-private partnership with the Imo State Government for the development of an industrial park.
The company subsequently sought police intervention, alleging that construction activities by the church were taking place despite a court injunction.
The dispute was identified as Suit No. HOW/773/2024 before the Imo State High Court in Owerri, with the Imo State Government, representatives of autonomous communities and Ebuka Obi among the defendants identified in the case.
The existence of the court dispute is therefore independently reported, although the allegations made by the various parties remain matters for determination through the judicial process.
Host Communities Raise Fresh Concerns
The land controversy has also involved communities in the Ngor-Okpala area.
In August 2024, residents of Eziama and neighbouring communities protested what they described as the incomplete acquisition of ancestral farmland.
The Guardian reported that community members alleged that approximately 40,000 plots had been taken from several autonomous communities without completion of the acquisition process.
A government representative disputed the allegations, saying the land had been acquired about 18 years earlier for a licensed Export Processing Zone and that more than ₦360 million in compensation had already been paid to the landowners.
The government representative also said the affected communities had subsequently received additional compensation.
The dispute did not end there.
In 2025, representatives of Mbaishii communities alleged that more than 30,000 hectares of farmland had been taken over and transferred to Zion Ministry, describing the development as a threat to the communities’ agricultural livelihood.
Those allegations were also publicly reported as claims by the communities rather than established judicial findings.
Court Orders And Continuing Disagreement
The dispute has continued to generate litigation and protests.
In October 2025, representatives of several Mbaishii communities alleged that court injunctions obtained in July 2025 required the parties to maintain the status quo, while accusing Zion Ministry of continuing construction on the disputed land.
Those claims require verification against the relevant court records and any subsequent orders or judgments before being treated as established fact.
There have also been conflicting public accounts over whether the communities were properly consulted.
While some community representatives have alleged that they did not consent to the acquisition, a 2025 statement attributed to IPOB’s spokesperson said information available to the group indicated that Zion Ministry had consulted community representatives before engaging the Imo State Government.
The conflicting accounts underscore the need for documentary clarification regarding the original acquisition, compensation, title and subsequent transfer or allocation of the land.
The ₦15 Million Question
One of the most significant claims now circulating concerns alleged sales of plots within the Zion City development for as much as ₦15 million.
Paranran’s allegations include a claim that more than 500 plots have allegedly been sold at that price.
If independently substantiated, 500 plots at ₦15 million each would represent approximately ₦7.5 billion in gross transaction value.
However, IBN News has not independently verified the alleged number of plots sold, the alleged ₦15 million price, the identities of purchasers, the contractual terms or the destination of any proceeds.
Property listings around Ngor-Okpala show that land values in the area have risen significantly alongside development around Zion Ministry, although those private-market listings do not establish the terms under which Zion Ministry itself allocates or sells land.
What Needs To Be Established
The central questions now go beyond the size of Zion City.
Who legally owns the land?
What title documents were issued?
What was the original acquisition arrangement?
Which communities were affected?
What compensation was paid and to whom?
What agreement exists between Zion Ministry and prospective property owners?
Are plots being sold, allocated or transferred?
What restrictions apply to owners?
And what is the current legal status of the various court cases involving the land?
These are questions that can be answered conclusively only through land titles, allocation documents, contracts, court records, government acquisition documents and verified financial or transaction records.
Zion Ministry has publicly presented the project as a major development intended to establish a permanent headquarters with educational, healthcare, residential and other facilities.
At the same time, the existence of multiple publicly reported disputes means that the ownership and development history of the land remains a matter of significant public interest.
IBN News has not established that the allegations concerning ₦15 million plot sales, alleged ownership restrictions, inheritance provisions, compulsory video testimonials or the alleged sale of more than 500 plots are true.
Zion Ministry, Evangelist Ebuka Obi, the Imo State Government and the affected communities should be given an opportunity to respond to those specific allegations.
IBN News will continue to follow the land dispute and examine available court, government and property documents as they become accessible.
