Diocesan Cathedral of Property worth over N10m was destroyed at Methodist Church Nigeria, Dodd’s Memorial Cathedral in Uzuakoli, Bende LGA of Abia State on Tuesday. The Cathedral, was engulfed by the inferno at about 2am on Tuesday, according to the Methodist Bishop of Uzuakoli Diocese, Rt Rev Dr Anyanwu James Alozie.
According to Bishop, the fire disaster was caused by a power surge which came from EEDC lines, adding that the blaze started just after a special prayer session had been concluded by some members of the church, inside the Cathedral.
He noted that all important documents belonging to the Cathedral were consumed by the fire, lamenting that every property inside the Bishop’s office was burnt to ashes.
He listed the burnt items to include computer sets, fans, golden cups/ wines used for Holy Communion, fans, TV set, tables, chairs, land documents, registers, bank account documents, mowing machines and music instruments and other important materials.
Walls and roofings of some of the rooms in the Cathedral were also left in debris by the fire.
Conducting Journalists round the burnt facilities, Methodist Bishop of Uzuakoli Diocese described the incident as saddening and devastating as millions of naira worth of property went up in flames.
“All important documents dating back to decades in this church have been destroyed. My office was completely raised down with nothing removed. The raging fire was spreading to the alter but efforts of my church members and natives of this community helped in stopping it”, Bishop Alozie said in pains.
He appealed to Abia State government and abled individuals to assist the Diocese in replacing the destroyed property.
Also speaking, the Presbyter in charge of Dodds Cathedral, Very Rev Chibuike Joseph described the fire outbreak as a big blow to his church but appealed to Abia State government and member of the public to assist them in renovating the burnt building and replacement of destroyed equipment.
