A community, Ekpri Nsukara Group of villages in Offot Clan in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, during the week protested the unlawful demolition of their houses by management of University of Uyo.
The protesters in their letter of protest by their lawyers to Akwa Ibom State Governor, Udom Emmanuel, said the land in dispute is a subject matter of litigation pending in court and the University management is aware of the pendency of the said suit.
They, however, expressed surprised that the management of the institution would take law into their hands in total disregard to the principle of les pendis.
According to them, Ekpri Nsukara Group of villages in Offot Clan in Uyo have not encroached into the land donated to the then Cross River State Government for the permanent site of the then Cross River State College of Education and the portion of land which the university management have entered and demolished houses did not form part of the land donated by the community.
They said: “On several occasions the university management has attempted to forcefully encroach on the land using military personnel but our clients have lawfully resisted the attempt. Our clients through their lawyers have written to the former Governor of Akwa Ibom State seeking for dialogue with the university but to no avail.
“In 2014 our clients filed a suit challenging the attempt by the university to take over possession of their land which did not form part of the land donated to the then Cross River State Government, the university participated in the proceedings until the month of November 2015 when the suit was withdrawn.
“However, our clients filed another suit on December 3, 2015 and the court processes were duly served on the university management. Rather than respond to the suit, the management has resorted to self help and attempt to foist a fait accompli on the court.
“Our clients have refrained from taking laws into their hands even in the face of provocation and still believe in the principles of rule of law. We therefore urge you to intervene in this matter in the interest of justice and direct the university to stop forthwith any action which may lead to a total breakdown of law and order in the state.”
It was gathered that the bulldozers allegedly sent by authorities of the University of Uyo, on February 1, 2016 wrecked havoc to buildings and properties situated in Ekpri Nsukara and Use communities, sending property owners into mourning.
Eye witnesses, who spoke to our reporter stated that at about 1.30 pm, more than twenty truckloads of soldiers, policemen and other security agencies, escorted a team of officials of the University of Uyo into the area and immediately commenced the destruction of buildings.
The fierce-looking soldiers dared anybody to come near the area.
House owners stood by and watched helplessly their buildings reduced to rubbles. Owners of plots of land in the area are mostly civil servants who had used the last of their incomes to erect a place they could lay their heads.