A remarkable story has emerged about a man who, after winning a court case against his church over a land dispute, chose to celebrate his victory with a Thanksgiving service in the same church. The unusual incident was reported by News Week Nigeria.

The man had taken legal action against his church over the ownership of a piece of land. According to a Twitter user, @Timi_CR7, who shared the story, the dispute unfolded in the man’s community, where the case was closely followed.

After a legal battle, the court ruled in the man’s favor, granting him ownership of the contested land. This victory was seen as significant, considering the sensitive nature of the case, involving a place of worship.

In a surprising turn of events, the man chose to return to the same church for a Thanksgiving service to celebrate his court victory. His decision to honor God in the same church he legally challenged has sparked mixed reactions online, with some praising his gesture as an act of forgiveness and others questioning the appropriateness of the move.

Reactions from the Community

The community reportedly had diverse opinions about the incident. Some admired the man’s choice to prioritize faith over personal grievances, while others expressed astonishment at his ability to return to the church after such a contentious dispute.

A leader of the herdsmen in the state, Aliu Yunusa, has been killed by gunmen suspected to be kidnappers in the early hours of Sunday.

Yunusa was killed near Ilu-Abo junction, in Akure South Local Government Area while going to his ranch.

The Commander of Ondo Amotekun Corps, Chief Adetunji Adeleye, who confirmed this said Yunusa was killed by individuals believed to be fellow Fulani herdsmen who attempted to rustle his cattle.

He said: “They had earlier kidnapped his wife, but he fought them off and retrieved her.

“Unfortunately, they (gunmen) returned, overpowered, and killed him while trying to steal his cows.

“A distress call was placed to the Amotekun Corps’ at the Ogbese outpost by fellow herdsmen who discovered Yunusa’s body at the scene.

“Upon arriving at the location, Amotekun officers found Yunusa’s body with multiple machete wounds. His motorcycle was also been set ablaze by the assailants.

“Our officers are combing the forest in search of these criminals.”

The Nigerian Army has confirmed that two of its soldiers were killed and weapons carted away by operatives of Eastern Security Network (ESN), an armed wing of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).

IPOB is a separatist organisation seeking for the restoration of Republic of Biafra from Nigeria following age-long accusation of marginalisation of the people of the South-East region of Nigeria since the Biafra – Nigeria civil war.

In a statement on Saturday, the Nigerian Army said that incident happened at Osina, Ideator North Local Government Area of Imo State, when its troops of 34 Artillery Brigade returning from routine patrols responded to a distress call of IPOB/ESN attack on Osina Community.

According to the statement, on arrival, the troops engaged the “terrorists” with overwhelming fire power, killing some of them, with no figure specific, while adding that the “dissidents withdrew in dissary”.

“Unfortunately, two security agents had been killed in action and one other missing in action and their weapons, an AK 47 Rifle and a Tear Gas Launcher were carted away by the terrorists.”

The statement noted that the corpses of the slain agents had been recovered and the troops have proceeded in pursuit of the fleeing “terrorists”.

The statement added, “Contact was again made with the criminal IPOB/ESN elements at Nkwachi Community and in the firefight that ensued, one of the dissidents was neutralised while others who could not withstand the troop’s fire power ran into the nearby forest. One (1) AK-47 rifle with a fully loaded magazine was recovered.

“The unrelenting troops continued to pursue the remnant of the criminals deep into Umalouma forest where a heavy firefight further broke out. The dissidents finally abandoned their weapons due to troops’ superior fire power and scampered into the thickly forested area with severe gunshot injuries. An additional five (4) Ak – 47 rifles, one (1) Fabrique Nationale Rifle and five (2) Magazines were recovered. A total of six (5) AK 47 Rifles and a Tear Gas Launcher were recovered.

“Further exploitation is ongoing as troops will continue to trail the injured terrorists and smoke them out of their hideouts and places of treatment. We urge all IPOB/ESN irredentists and other criminal elements hiding in the bushes to surrender to the nearest troops’ location or meet their waterloo as troops of the Brigade will continue to ensure that Imolites celebrate the Yuletide Season in peace without fear or intimidation.”

The army in the statement appealed to the people of Imo State to continue to support the military by giving them timely intelligence on the hideouts and movements of the “terrorists to enable us rid the state of all criminality”.

The media had reported that since 2021 after the Supreme Court declared Senator Hope Uzodinma, who came fourth in the 2019 general election as the governor of the Imo State, sacking the people’s elected governor in a questionable circumstances, the state had been a killing field, with the military burning down several communities and markets in the guise of fighting separatists.