Nigerian court: Breakaway Methodists must return money, buildings

A Nigerian federal high court this week ruled that the Global Methodist Church Nigeria failed to follow correct legal procedures when it broke away from the United Methodist Church of Nigeria and changed its name in 2024. The court ordered the denomination to reverse its name change and hand all money and properties over to the UMC. Those buildings include church offices, schools, hospitals, and orphanages.

The Global Methodist Church Nigeria left the mainline Methodist denomination over its doctrinal slide away from Biblical orthodoxy and acceptance of homosexuality, which is a crime in Nigeria. Reports varied on how many congregants were part of the split, with breakaway leaders claiming a majority while the UMC said only 10% in a certain episcopal area left. The group joined the Global Methodist Church, founded in 2022 as an alternative to the UMC, which claims to have about 7,000 congregations worldwide.

How did the Global Methodist Church Nigeria respond to the ruling? Denominational leaders urged members to stay calm and not confront UMC members. They were working to file an immediate appeal, they said.

Dig deeper: Read my report on a recent U.S. court ruling allowing an Alabama church to keep its property after leaving the UMC.