Enugu Media Village (EMV), the Most Updated Online News Platform — October 16, 2026.
THE Ebonyi State Government has denied allegations that the Chuba Okadigbo International Airport in Onueke, Ezza South Local Government Area, has been converted into a worship centre, while acknowledging that prayers have taken place at the facility.
The clarification followed public controversy over a viral video reportedly showing people participating in religious activities inside the airport’s departure lounge.
The state’s Commissioner for Information and State Orientation, Ikeuwa Omebeh, addressed the matter during an interview on ARISE News on October 13, insisting that the airport had not been converted into a church.
According to a report published by Premium Times on October 14, Omebeh initially described the video as AI-generated but subsequently acknowledged that prayers had taken place at the facility.
“It has never been a worship centre, and we don’t intend to use it as a worship centre,” the commissioner said, maintaining that a prayer gathering should not be equated with converting an airport into a religious facility.
Government Explains Airport Prayer Sessions
The controversy intensified after the video circulated online, prompting questions about how the state government’s major aviation investment was being utilised.
During the interview, Omebeh initially questioned the authenticity of the footage, citing former President Goodluck Jonathan’s reported use of the airport approximately three weeks earlier.
However, when pressed about comments attributed to the Commissioner for Special Duties, Valentine Okike-Uzo, concerning communal prayers by airport staff, Omebeh acknowledged that prayers had occurred.
The government maintained a distinction between staff prayer sessions and the formal use of the airport as a worship centre.
The admission has become a central part of the public debate, particularly because the commissioner’s initial claim about the video’s authenticity was followed by an acknowledgement that a prayer gathering had taken place.
Civil Society Raises Questions Over Airport Utilisation
The controversy gained wider attention after Charles Otu, spokesperson for the Ebonyi Civil Society Coalition Group, alleged during an earlier ARISE News interview that a church had taken over the airport for regular midweek and Sunday services.
Otu also questioned the facility’s utilisation, alleging that commercial flight operations were absent and that airport activity was largely limited to private charter flights.
These claims remain allegations attributed to the civil society representative and should not be treated as independently established facts without further operational records.
The state government’s response rejects the claim that the airport has been converted into a worship centre. However, the disagreement has renewed public discussion about the facility’s operational status, utilisation and economic value.
Airport Readiness and Commercial Flight Plans
The controversy comes as the Ebonyi State Government continues efforts to complete outstanding work and prepare the airport for scheduled commercial aviation.
In a report published by Channels Television on September 10, 2026, the state’s Commissioner for Transport and Aviation, Collins Igboke, said the project was approximately 90 per cent complete.
The report identified outstanding infrastructure work, damage associated with heavy rainfall, vandalism-related concerns and regulatory requirements as issues requiring attention before full commercial operations could commence.
Airport management also indicated that securing the necessary certification from the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority was a key step towards launching scheduled passenger and other commercial services.
These reported plans indicate that the airport’s operational readiness remains a separate issue from the dispute over prayer gatherings. The latest reports reviewed for this story do not establish that scheduled commercial passenger services have commenced.
Public Accountability and Infrastructure Delivery
The Chuba Okadigbo International Airport was developed to improve Ebonyi’s connectivity, attract investment and support economic activity. Its ability to deliver those benefits will depend on its operational readiness, regulatory compliance, passenger demand and the commencement of sustainable aviation services.
The current controversy therefore raises two distinct public-interest questions: whether the facility has been formally converted into a worship centre, which the government denies, and whether the airport is delivering the level of aviation service expected of a major public infrastructure investment.
Answering the second question will require clear, current information about flight movements, regulatory certification, outstanding construction work and plans for scheduled passenger services.
For residents and taxpayers, transparent reporting on these issues can help establish the airport’s actual status and the progress being made towards its intended purpose.
EMV’s Position
Enugu Media Village (EMV) notes that the Ebonyi State Government has denied converting the airport into a worship centre but has acknowledged that staff prayers occurred at the facility. The allegations made by civil society representatives regarding regular church services and the absence of commercial flights require further independent verification.
EMV will continue to follow developments concerning the airport’s operational readiness, regulatory approvals and the government’s plans for commercial aviation, while ensuring that claims and official responses are clearly attributed.
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