The Primate of the Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion), Most Reverend Henry Ndukuba, has directed Archbishop Alexander Chibuzo Ibezim to proceed on six months' compulsory leave amid allegations of misconduct, including the unauthorised sale of church land reportedly valued at more than ₦2 billion.
The directive was contained in a letter dated Tuesday, October 13, 2026, addressed to Ibezim, who serves as Bishop of the Diocese of Awka and Metropolitan Archbishop of the Province of the Niger in Anambra State. Ndukuba ordered him to suspend his official duties with immediate effect while the church conducts further investigations into developments within the diocese.
The Primate explained that the decision followed a series of allegations and administrative disputes involving the archbishop, which had raised concerns about the integrity and reputation of the Church of Nigeria. He referred to previous efforts by church authorities to examine the situation, including the establishment of investigative panels and a visitation team led by the Dean of the Church of Nigeria, Most Reverend Blessing Enyindah.
According to the letter, the visitation team had submitted its findings to the church leadership, and its report was discussed during a meeting with Ibezim on Friday, October 9. Ndukuba said the findings and other developments informed the decision to place the archbishop on compulsory leave, although the letter did not publicly disclose the team's conclusions or establish that any allegation had been proven.
The Primate cited Section 29(1) of Chapter V of the Constitution and Canons of the Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion), 2020, as the legal basis for the directive. He maintained that the provision grants his office general supervisory authority over the church and allows appropriate administrative intervention when circumstances require it.
Ndukuba clarified that the compulsory leave was intended to facilitate an impartial investigation rather than impose punishment before the allegations had been determined. He said the arrangement was also designed to create an opportunity for reconciliation and the restoration of peace within the Diocese of Awka, where the controversy had generated disagreement over church administration.
Under the directive, Ibezim is prohibited from officiating at activities of the Church of Nigeria, the Province of the Niger or the Diocese of Awka throughout the leave period. The initial duration is six months, although the church leadership reserved the right to review the arrangement depending on subsequent developments.
The Primate also appointed the Bishop of Aguata Diocese, Right Reverend Samuel Ezeofor, as Supervising Bishop of the Diocese of Awka and Coordinating Bishop of the Province of the Niger during Ibezim's absence. Ezeofor was assigned responsibility for episcopal administration and oversight, while Ibezim was instructed to arrange an immediate handover of his official duties.
Although the Primate's letter did not specify the allegations under investigation, reports have linked the dispute to claims that Ibezim sold church land valued at more than ₦2 billion without the necessary authorisation. The reported transaction has been the subject of disagreement within the diocese, but the information publicly available does not independently establish that an unauthorised sale occurred or that the archbishop personally received the alleged proceeds.
The controversy had previously attracted the attention of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission following a petition reportedly submitted to its Enugu Zonal Directorate in July 2025. The petition was said to have been filed by senior lawyer G. Tagbo on behalf of Echezona Onuigbo, a member of St. Faith Cathedral in Awka, raising concerns about the handling of church property.
The dispute subsequently reached the Anambra State High Court in Awka, where Ibezim sought protection against arrest in connection with the allegations. Justice F. I. Aniukwu granted an interim order following an application filed through the archbishop's lawyer, B. E. I. Nwofor, SAN, in September 2025. That order concerned the proposed arrest and did not amount to a judicial determination of the allegations surrounding the church property.
The latest development has also resulted in fresh court proceedings. According to a report published on October 17, Ibezim filed a suit at the Anambra State High Court, Awka Division, challenging the procedure adopted by the church leadership and the authority of the visitation team established to investigate the diocese.
In the suit, reportedly marked A/371/2026, the archbishop is seeking judicial declarations concerning the disciplinary procedures applicable to a serving bishop under the church's constitution. He is also asking the court to restrain the Primate and the Dean of the Church of Nigeria from taking steps to suspend, remove, retire or dismiss him pending the determination of the substantive case.
The court action introduces a dispute over the church's internal administrative procedures alongside the unresolved allegations concerning its property. While Ndukuba has characterised the compulsory leave as an administrative measure rather than a disciplinary sanction, Ibezim's reported legal challenge questions the procedure through which the church leadership intervened in his office.
The allegations involving the reported ₦2 billion land transaction remain unproven, and the Primate's directive does not constitute a finding of criminal wrongdoing. Further developments will depend on the church's investigation and the outcome of the legal proceedings challenging the administrative decision.
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