Anglican Church Suspends Archbishop Over N2 Billion Land Deal

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 to Archbishop Ibezim.

In the letter dated 13 October 2026, Mr Ndukuba told Mr Ibezim to take six months’ leave with “immediate effect” while investigations into allegations against him and recent issues in the diocese begin.

The primate also stopped Mr Ibezim from taking part in any church activities in the Province of the Niger or the Anglican Diocese of Awka during his leave.

Mr Ndukuba explained that the decision for Mr Ibezim’s leave was due to recent events in the diocese of Awka. The archbishop had been at the center of different allegations and events, which raised concerns about the church's integrity and reputation.

The primate reminded Mr Ibezim about various panels set up to look into his actions at the diocese. This included a recent team led by the dean of the church.

Mr Ndukuba said the reports from the team have been sent and considered.

He explained that the action was taken according to Section 29(1) of Chapter 5 of the Constitution and Canons of the Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) 2020. This section gives the primate general authority and supervision over the church and its powers.

Mr Ndukuba stressed that the leave was meant to allow “a fair and thorough investigation” into the allegations against him. It also aims to help restore peace and reconciliation in the Diocese of Awka.

He added that this leave is not a punishment. It is an administrative step to allow for an unbiased inquiry into the situation 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 seen by PREMIUM TIMES.

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 Mr Ibezim’s absence.

The primate told the suspended archbishop to hand over to the newly appointed supervisory bishop.

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.

The letter did not say what the allegations against Mr Ibezim were or give details of the findings from the visitation team’s report.

But PREMIUM TIMES found out that one of the allegations against the suspended archbishop is that he sold church land for N2 billion without permission from church leaders.

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

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

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

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

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