Synagogue: Court delivers judgment today

Henry Ojelu

The Coroner’s Court investigating the building collapse in the premises of Synagogue Church of All Nation, SCOAN, will today deliver its verdict on the cause of the incident that left about 116 person dead.

As early as 6:00am this morning, hundreds of Synagogue church members had already besieged the court in anticipation of the verdict.

Leader of local security group, Oudua People Congress, OPC, Dr Federick Fasehun was also sighted this morning around the court venue of the verdict.

He told our correspondent that he was in court in solidarity for TB Joshua, the founder of the church and hoped that justice will be done.

“I love justice and I would love justice to be done in this matter. I hope the powers that be will not allow him to be subjected to ridicule, degradation and embarrassment,” he said.

Our correspondent also observed that several top Nigerian actors and actresses have also besieged the Ikeja High Court premises where the proceeding will take place.

As at the time of filing this report, the courtroom is yet to be opened, journalists and lawyers were waiting to be screened by police officers assigned to the court.

The inquest was set up by the Lagos State Government to ascertain the cause of the building collapse, identify the victims and how they died.

Senior Pastor of the church, T. B. Joshua, had initially linked the tragedy to a strange aircraft hovering above the building shortly before it fell.

A video released by the church on social media platforms showed the plane allegedly hovering around the building before its collapse.

During the eight-month sitting of the inquest, several witnesses adduced reasons why the six-storey building which served as a guest house for foreign worshippers collapsed.

T.B. Joshua personally refused to appear before the inquest insisting that he was not under any obligation to testify before the coroner. Although an appeal he filed before a Lagos High Court was overruled, he still did not appear before the inquest.