The Nation Newspaper

Tag: ‘Demolished

  • Oshodi residents count losses as 100 houses are demolished

    Oshodi residents count losses as 100 houses are demolished

    Over 100 houses were demolished in Mosafejo community in Oshodi, Lagos, yesterday, about three weeks after a similar exercise at Owonifari Market.

    Lagos State Task Force officials carried out the exercise after a seven-day quit notice on residents, many of whom were seen lamenting their losses.

    The houses mostly face-me-I face-you, had shops attached to them.

    Residents and traders claimed that they were prevented from removing their properties after the ultimatum expired.

    They alleged that hoodlums looted their properties.

    The community was cordoned off and its gate locked after the demolition.

    The residents denied the claim that they were harbouring miscreants.

    A landlady and shop owner, Alhaja Adeshina, described the government’s action as unfortunate, adding: “We don’t know what is going on. On January 11, some people came to the market claiming to be from Alausa. They pasted quit notices on the walls, and handed them to passers-by, but did not come to my shop. I actually thought they were distributing Land Use documents. Later on, I was told that we were given a seven-day ultimatum to quit the area, and that would be on a Sunday. Two days later, the people returned, with fully armed task force men and proceeded to mark all the buildings around, right from the gate to the end of the wall. Later on, they went in and wrote UPN and all sorts of words, and inscribed 14/1/2016, marked X, and bracketed 2, telling us that we had two days to pack our wares saying, E keru yin o. They warned us not to allow ourselves to be found there in two days. So people started packing their goods, so as to avoid a repeat of what happened at the other side of the road at Owonifari Market.

    She continued: “As we packed our things, the task force men did not allow us to take them away, Area boys seized the opportunity to vandalise our properties, and destroy our houses.

    “Some of us are landlords’ wives, and have our shops in front of our homes. We (the villagers) were accused of being the cause of all the trouble in Oshodi. Yet everyone knows that it is politicians who use the area boys; they use them during the elections, and rallies, bestowing all sorts of things on them during elections. They are the ones who fund the hoodlums’ Hajj and Jerusalem pilgrimage trips. Who are we to drive them (area boys) away? The government does not make provision for the less privileged. Whenever policemen pursue them, they run through the community, and burst out at the Railway line. Yet they claim that we harbour them. Who are we to drive the hoodlums away? Whenever the government task forces apprehend them, they release them after a while.”

    A trader said the hoodlums usually threatened people because nobody can challenge them.

    “Now that my goods are gone with the demolition, where do I start from now? Government asked us to rent new shops in the market, what am I going to sell to pay N10,000 monthly shop rents?”

     

  • Unknown persons demolish Anglican Church

    Unknown persons on Monday demolished Ebenezer Anglican Church, Oyolu-Oze, 3-3, Nkwelle Ezunanka in Oyi Local Government Area of Anambra State.

    Although the Nkwelle Ezunanka community denied knowledge of the action, the Anglican Church accused the community of masterminding the demolition.

    It cited the crisis between the church and the community, which has lasted for over a decade, as the cause of the action.

    The Nation learnt that the building was under construction.

    A source said the multimillion naira project was nearing completion before it was pulled down at midnight on Monday.

    The Anglican Archdeacon in charge of the building project, Venerable Frank Obi, accused the President- General of Nkwelle Ezunaka, Elder Chris Eluemuno, of being responsible for the demolition.

    He described the incident as ungodly and urged the Anambra State government to intervene.

    But Eluemuno denied the involvement of the community in the demolition.

  • Suspected kidnappers’ den demolished in Anambra

    Suspected kidnappers’ den demolished in Anambra

    Anambra State government demolished yesterday two buildings belonging to suspected kidnappers at Okija in Ihiala Local Government and Uruagu in Nnewi North Local Government.

    The buildings were allegedly used for kidnap by the suspected abductors.

    Governor Willie Obiano has since assumption of office demolished nine buildings suspected to be used for kidnapping.

    He vowed to rid the state of kidnappers and other criminals and inaugurated “Operation Mkpochapu”.

    A source said Police Commissioner Usman Gwary and the Special Adviser to the Governor on Security, Chikodi Anara, led the demolishing team to Okija and Nnewi.

    At Umuatuegwu, Uhuobo village in Okija, the team pulled down a storey building and a bungalow belonging to the late Chief Pius Osuchukwu,  which was allegedly used by two of his sons to keep abducted victims.

    The source said one of them called “Akwaa” is still at large, while his elder brother is now in police net.

    The Nation learnt that the two suspects are the sons of the deceased’s first wife, Mrs. Rosaline Osuchukwu, who is also late.

    Her funeral will hold tomorrow.

    Gwary alleged that the gang kept kidnapped victims, including the Access Bank manager and cashier, in the buildings.

    “Others kept in the buildings included the manager of Julius Berger Plc, who was on holiday, a member of the House of Assembly, Dr. Emeka Aniebonam, the manager of CCC Construction Company, among others.”

    Gwary and Anara hailed the officer in charge of the Special Anti-robbery Squad (SARS), James Nwafor, for his efforts in fishing out criminals.

    The police commissioner said the gang used the building to make over N200million from the victim.

    At Uruagu Nnewi, he said the demolished bungalow belonged to a kidnap suspect, Jude Okeke, who was killed in gun battle with the police last year.

    Gwary said the deceased was one of the suspected kidnappers, who trained other notorious abductors in the state.

    He said the building was used to keep kidnapped victims, including the Chairman of Emeka Offor Foundation, Sir Tony Obi, the Chairman of Nnewi Parts Dealers called Iroko, the former chairman of Nnewi North Local Government, Mr. Ernest Obiora, among others.

  • FCT: Why New PDP office must be demolished

    FCT: Why New PDP office must be demolished

    The authorities of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and the Abubakar Baraje breakaway faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have drawn the battle line on the planned demolition of the faction’s secretariat in Abuja.

    The building has continued to be under siege, with riot policemen mounting guard around it.

    The FCT yesterday insisted that the building, located in the high brow Maitama District in Abuja, would be demolished for alleged violation of land use.

    FCT Director of Development Control Yahaya Yusuf said the location of the building was meant strictly for residential purposes and that converting it to a party secretariat violated the Abuja master plan.

    In a telephone interview with our correspondent yesterday, Yusuf said there are about 202 of such buildings in the capital city. They will be pulled down, he said.

    But the Baraje faction of the PDP dared the FCT authorities to demolish the building and face the legal consequences.

    The faction’s National Publicity Secretary, Chief Chukwuemeka Eze, who also spoke with our correspondent on the telephone, said: “Let them go ahead and demolish the building. We can assure them that we are going to rebuild it with money from the Federal Government of Nigeria.

    “We will sue them for wilful destruction and they will be made to know that the building belongs to a Nigerian citizen with constitutional rights to own property in any part of the country, including the Federal Capital Territory.”

    To Eze, the FCT Minister, Senator Bala Mohammed, is pushing an agenda to destroy President Goodluck Jonathan, stressing that under no circumstances would a minister embark on such a destructive mission.

    He continued: “The minister has been mandated by some forces to find a way of destroying President Jonathan and he has happily embarked on that mission. That is why he is doing something that is not expected of him.

    “He does not have the powers he is arrogating to himself. Bala Mohammed is confused. He is undemocratic. He is being wicked. Such a person is not worthy of the position he occupies.”

    The spokesman regretted that President Jonathan had failed to understand the altruistic mission of the breakaway faction, adding that “otherwise, he would not be treating a political party as if it’s a personal estate”.

    He recalled the case of Sokoto State Governor Aliyu Wamakko who was suspended from the PDP simply because he did not pick the telephone call from PDP Chairman Bamanga Tukur.

    Eze also pointed out that Governor Rotimi Amaechi was suspended from the party for not rescinding a decision by the Assembly suspending the executive of a local government.

    “I recall that the same building was being used as the national secretariat of another political party, the National Democratic Party (NDP), before we acquired it,” he said, adding:

    “At that time, they did not realise that it violated land use now they want to demolish a building simply because they perceive the owner to be anti-government. What do we make of this madness?”

    Investigation by our correspondent revealed that the building is owned by a Senior Advocate of Nigerian (SAN) from the Southeastern .

    But the Public Relations Officer of the FCT Development Control, Mr. Kalu Emetu, clarified the position of the FCT authorities.

    According to him, the directive is for the building to revert to residential use and not for commercial purpose as it is being used by the faction.

    Emetu warned that failure to revert to residential use would lead to the FCT sealing off the building until the directive is obeyed.

    The PRO said in situations where residential areas are used for commercial purposes, the available facilities, such as water, electricity and other amenities get overstretched.

    This, he said, puts pressure on the facilities leading to a breakdown as a result of the large number of people using such limited facilities.

  • School, church demolished

    There is tension in Auchi, Etsako West Local Government of Edo State, following the demolition of a school and a church by an Army general.

    The general claimed that the properties were built on a parcel of family land he inherited from his father.

    Mrs. Stella Musibau, who owns the school, said she was aware that the properties were demolished on the orders of the general on April 27, a few days after the Ministry of Education concluded its inspection, and certified it fit for approval.

    She said the property measuring 100 x 200 was sold to her for N625,000 by Sheilu Suleiman Awwal in February 2009 and shares common boundaries with other lands owned by Mr D. H. Momoh, Mrs. Sekinetu Sheilu and Sheilu himself.

    She said: “I paid for the plot of land after assuring myself that the seller, Sheilu Suleiman Awwal, came into ownership and possession through inheritance from his father.”

    Mrs. Musibau said on the day of demolition, the pastor pleaded in tears with the general, who supervised the exercise.

    Awwal said he came into possession and ownership of the land from his father, Sheliu Sule of the Obirikpo family in Ughuye Quarters Akpekpe, in Auchi, according to his will dated March 18, 1995.

     

  • ‘Illegal’ police quarters demolished in Abuja

    An instruction from the Office of the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) to the Development Control Department of the Federal Capital Territory Authority (FCTA) has led to the demolition of an “illegal police quarters” in Jibi, Kubwa area of the FCT.

    The Development Control Department said the “illegal settlement” posed a security risk to Abuja residents.

    But owners of the demolished structures said it was unfair for the department to demolish their homes when the government had not provided an laternative accommodation for police officers.

    They said the demolition showed that the government was insensitive to the plight of police officers.

    A resident, who spoke in confidence, said: “The condition of living in this police barracks is unhealthy. We have as many as three families, each with children, sharing a two-bedroom apartment. We share one toilet, a bathroom and a kitchen.

    “Most of the people you see erecting attachments are people who are trying to create more room for their families. Instead of building more houses so that people can live in a healthy condition, the government has brought bulldozers to demolish the ones we managed to build. This is inhuman.”

    The residents complained that instead of the government tackling their accommodation challenges, it has worsened it.

    “I’ve been living here for 12 years. Since I moved in, we’ve not had an access road or electricity. Instead of providing us with these basic amenities, the government has come with its bulldozers to remove what we struggled to build,” he said.

    The District Officer in Charge of Kubwa and Jibi, Mr. Abdul Sodangi said the department was invited by the Office of the IGP to restore the original plan of the area.

    He said: “We have a letter from the Force Headquarters to restore the master plan of the neighbourhood. We had to step in promptly to restore the concept of the area before it turned into a slum.”

     

  • 50 illegal structures demolished in Ibadan

    Over 50 illegal structures in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, have been demolished to pave the way for the government’s urban renewal programme.

    The structures were on major roads in Sabo. Over 40 of them were Suya spots on the Adamasingba-Ibadan Recreation Club-Jembewon road.

    Motorists often experienced traffic jam on the road, as traders encroached on it.

    When The Nation visited the area yesterday, owners of the demolished structures were removing valuables from the ruins.

    The Commissioner for Environment, Lowo Obisesan, described the area as an “eyesore”.

    He said the demolished structures had no water and toilets, adding that the area was indiscriminately littered with refuse.

    Obisesan said the demolition was in line with the ongoing clean-up of Ibadan.

    He said: “Before the demolition, we held meetings with leaders and youths in the area, so that they will not think we want to chase them away from the area. We explained our reasons for the demolition to them to forestall any revolt that may jeopardise the existing peace in the state.

    “We gave owners of the demolished spots three areas where they can relocate to in Ibadan. The areas are TCTC motor-park; the Eleyele Water Works, where we have about six acres of land; and the former airspace, now acquired by the government.”

    The commissioner said the demolition would be extended to the other side of Sabo, where the Ibadan Golf Club is situated.

  • Ogun to pay N10b for demolished structures

    The demolition of structures began yesterday in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, to give way for the expansion of roads.

    The bulldozers began work in Itoku, Ake, Sapon Omida, Panseke and Onikolobo.

    Governor Ibikunle Amosun said over N10 billion compensation would be paid to owners of affected buildings.

    He assured affected shop owners that they would be the first beneficiaries of the shopping malls that would be built by the government.

    Addressing residents in Panseke, Amosun praised the people for cooperating with the government.

    He said: “In a year’s time, you will not recognise this place. We thank everybody, particularly the property owners. We cannot develop without some pain, but the outcome will benefit everybody.

    “We cannot continue to live as if we are 100 years back. Some of these roads were built when I was a young boy. We need to build new roads and shopping complexes. Shop owners affected by the demolition will be the first to benefit when we build the shopping malls.

    “I feel very proud today that I am from Ogun State. Most of you complied with our directives and we are happy that you showed understanding in this project.”

  • ‘Demolished 100 Abuja homes illegal’

    ‘Demolished 100 Abuja homes illegal’

    THE Director of the Federal Capital Territory’s (FCT’s) Department of Control Unit, Mallam Yahaya Yusuff said yesterday in Abuja that the 100 houses demolished at Trademore Estate on Airport Road were illegal structures.

    He said the plot of land, where the structures were built, was not meant for mass housing development.

    Yusuff explained that despite an advertisement by the FCT Administration that developers should stop encroaching on the lands meant for mass housing, many of them were yet to abide by the notice.

    The director said when his unit noticed that developers were not complying, the Sunshine Estate, Liberty, Civil Defence Estate, Prison Services Staff Housing estates, among others, were demolished.

    He said residents of the estates were advised to revalidate their land titles at the Urban and Regional Planning Unit.

    Yusuff said the developer at the Trademore Estate did not revalidate his land titles.

    The director added that it was the reason the structures were demolished, after the expiration of the deadline.