The Nation Newspaper

Tag: demolition

  • ‘I ‘ve no hand in property demolition’

    ‘I ‘ve no hand in property demolition’

    The Ojora of Ijora, Lagos State, Oba Abdulfatai Aromire, has denied demolishing a building belonging to Chief Fasasi Olorunlogbon on Alhaji Adebowale Street, Orile-Iganmu.

    It was reported that the property, a subject of litigation, was pulled down on January 24 by some men suspected to be working for the monarch.

    In a statement, Aromire said there was no subsisting suit between him and Olorunlogbon over any property in Iganmu or any other place, adding that he never sponsored such demolition.

    “For the purpose of emphasis, I did not authorise the demolition of any property belonging to Chief Olorunlogbon and I do not have any subsisting suit over any property with him in any court.

    “I also do not have any contest over the Alhaji Adebowale Street, Orile-Iganmu property with him, any group or individual. Therefore, I could not have sponsored a demolition where I do not have any interest, whether in contest or not.”

  • Lagos fire: Seven more buildings for demolition

    Seven buildings are to be demolished in Jankara, Lagos, where firecracker explosions destroyed 12 houses and goods worth millions of naira last week.

    Demolition notices have been pasted on the houses. Some houses, including those affected by the explosions had been demolished in the wake of the incident.

    General Manager/Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) Dr. Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu, yesterday said the fire affected 12 houses, adding that eight which posed danger were pulled them down immediately.

    He said other affected buildings have been subjected to integrity test by the Lagos State Raw Material Testing Agency to determine their structural stability to forestall another disaster.

    Oke-Osanyintolu said: “Our work is to make the area safe and calm. Agencies like the Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency (LASEPA) have carried out environmental impact assessment of the explosion, while the Lagos State Building Control Agency (LASBCA) and the Lagos State Waste Management Agency (LAWMA) have been on ground to clear the debris and other waste from the site.”

    Eight buildings, he said, were demolished in three days, adding that the clearing would be concluded in less than two weeks after which fumigation would start.

    He said unfit buildings would be demolished, adding that those that need structural adjustments would be recommended for appropriate action.

    LASEMA and other relevant agencies, he said, were working hard to avert building collapse and fire outbreaks.

     

  • ‘N37 billion lost to demolition in Abuja’

    Property owners may have lost over N37 billion to the demolition of illegal structures in Lugbe, Abuja, between last year August and October, this year.

    The National President of the Real Estate Developers’ Association of Nigeria (REDAN), Chief Olabode Afolanyan, spoke at the weekend during a World Press Conference on demolition in Lugbe.

    He said over 1,004 houses were demolished within the period under review.

    Afolanyan said the demolition was crippling the economy.

    He said: “Following the renewed move by the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) to demolish 38 housing estates in the Airport/Lugbe axis as stated by FCT Minister Bala Mohammed during his budget defense at the National Assembly on Tuesday, REDAN will resist further demolition.

    “Events in the recent past, particularly in the housing sector, require urgent attention. You will recall sometime ago that we had an unfortunate incident, where a government agency went ahead against appeals and demolished houses built by members of our association in Lugbe.

    “Shortly after, we had to engage ourselves and it had always been accusations and counter-accusations. We met and agreed to put all title documents together and address the issues, but two days ago, I read on the pages of newspapers that during the budget defence, the FCT minister said he would carry on with the demolition.

    “I was shocked because leadership is not about forcing things on people, but allowing them to participate in decision-making. It is sad that the minister has chosen to abandon due process. You will be shocked by the way land has been allocated in the FCT in the last one year.

    “We urge President Goodluck Jonathan to call the minister to order. Nigeria is not a banana republic where anyone can talk and act as he wants without minding the effect of the economy. If people have erred, they should be called to order in a civilised manner.

    “REDAN will resist further demolition in the FCT. Land racketeering in Lugbe needs to be addressed immediately because it has affected many businesses. The cement factory in Gboko has been closed down because of the glut in the market and the next thing that will follow is loss of jobs. Infact some construction companies have started laying off workers.

    A Senior Special Assistant to the FCT Minister on Information Management and Strategy, Hajia Jemila Tangaza, yesterday said the number of structures demolished was irrelevant because the buildings were illegal.

    Hajia Tangaza said: “After we demolished the structures in 2011, the developers went on to rebuild. We sent them stop-work and demolitions notices several times at various stages of development.

    “We have documented evidences, including videos, pictures and newspaper publications to this effect. The developers ignored all these and went on collecting money from innocent Nigerians and building, even though they knew they had no Certificate of Occupancy (C of O) or building approval from the FCTA.

    “The FCT is one of the five fastest growing cities in Africa and the administration will not condone illegality by developers. Abuja is the only planned city in Nigeria and such random developments will defeat the purpose for its creation.

    “The administration, under Mohammed, is committed to the provision of affordable homes for low income earners. That was why we introduced the social housing scheme. With this in place, dodgy estate developers will be out in the cold and ordinary Nigerians will stop being scammed by them.”

  • Osun Govt, PDP disagree on demolition

    The Osun State Government and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have disagreed on the ongoing demolition of structures in some parts of the state.

    The state government is demolishing structures on the Obafemi Awolowo Way; Igbona, Ayetoro, Okefia and Ring roads in Osogbo to beautify the state capital.

    Commissioner for Information and Strategy Sunday Akere said the administration is in the process of renewing major towns in the state. He said shops were demolished on Ring Road and the East by-pass to make way for the planting of flowers on both sides of the roads.

    Explaining that the shop owners were notified before the demolition, Akere said: “The shops had been marked for demolition for over six months now and the government waited for a long time to allow the shop owners look for an alternative.

    “The immediate-past government was there for seven and a half years without anything to show for it. We got there in less than two years and are giving the state a face lift.”

    PDP Publicity Secretary Prince Bola Ajao said: “We are not saying there should not be development, but the development must be within the economic viability of the people. Aregbesola’s action was not only unfair; it was wicked, callous and unfortunate.”

  • Traders protest demolition in Ibadan

    •Youths demand removal of council chairman

     

    Traders at the popular Dugbe Market in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, yesterday protested the demolition of their shops by the state government.

    About 200 traders took to the streets and blocked the entrance of the State Secretariat in Agodi.

    They said they were not given any notice before their shops were demolished and alleged that their goods were looted during the demolition.

    The Otun Iyalaje of Ibadanland, Chief Victoria Coker, who led the traders, said: “We are not trading on the streets. So, why are they disturbing us? We bought those goods with loans. Four of our members have been hospitalised at the University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan, because they could not raise money to repay the loan in installments every Monday as expected.

    “Many of us are widows and single mothers. We do not want to go into prostitution. The governor should have provided an alternative market before driving us away from Dugbe.”

    House of Assembly Speaker Monsurat Sunmonu said the government is exploring ways to resettle them and urged the traders to be patient.

    She said the government was committed to their welfare would make adequate provision for them.

    The speaker said the government cannot avoid stepping on toes, if the desired changes are to be achieved.

    She urged the traders not to allow hoodlums hijack their protest, adding that the government’s decision was in the state’s interest.

    Also yesterday, the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) youths in Otu, headquarters of Itesiwaju Local Government Area, demanded the removal of the council’s Caretaker Committee Chairman, Mr. Adisa Adeniyi.

    The youths were from the seven principal towns in the local government.

    Market men and women locked their shops and joined the youths in the protest against what they described as “maladministration”.

    The protest is the second in two weeks.

    The protesters barricaded the entrance of the council secretariat on Saki Road and prevented workers from going into the premises.

    Although the protest was peaceful, policemen arrived later to prevent a break down of law and order. No casualty was reported.

    Two ACN leaders in the area, Pa. Joseph Akinyemi and Elder Titilade Awakan, said Adeniyi’s appointment was an imposition and against the popular decision.

    They said: “Beside the fact that the unpopular and imposed caretaker chairman is a persona non-grata and unrecognised in the party, he uses the council’s resources to regroup members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and undermines ACN interests.

    “Imagine Adeniyi ordering the police to arrest his party chairman and other leaders because he wanted to know who defaced his banner. Party leaders are disrespected, inhumanly treated and the people are yet to benefit from the several millions of naira received so far as Federation Allocations. Our candidate is Mr. Akin Adeyemo.”

    The ACN leaders said the protest was not intended to embarrass the governor, but to express the party’s displeasure with Adeniyi’s appointment.

    They said: “We urge the governor to allow the voice of the majority to prevail as a pre-condition for peace and progress. ACN in Itesiwaju is solidly behind his administration, but there can be no end to the people’s protests until their desires are met.

    “We also urged the police not to allow themselves to be used by any politician, no matter how highly placed, to unleash terror over intra-party squabbles.

    “We recall how a commissioner (names withheld) connived with anti-riot policemen to maltreat party leaders and members about two weeks ago in the community over intra-party disputes.

    “Mobile policemen were sent from Ibadan with an Armoured Personnel Carrier (APC) and rather than mediating amicably, they unleashed terror on party members. That commissioner hails from this town. We want to put a stop to this.”

     

  • Falana files N5b suit against FCT minister over demolition of 372 houses

    Falana files N5b suit against FCT minister over demolition of 372 houses

    Frontline lawyer, Mr. Femi Falana (SAN), has filed a N5billion suit against the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Senator Bala Mohammed, at an Abuja High Court for the demolition of 372 housing units belonging to a developer, Minannuel Investment Limited.

    The plaintiff is praying the court to compel the minister to pay N5billion as special and general damages for the “illegal” demolition of its housing estate.

    Minnanuel Investment Limited had filed the suit against Mohammed and the FCT for the demolished property on Airport Road, Abuja.

    The demolition allegedly occurred between September 29 and October 1.

    In the writ of summons, which Falana filed on behalf of the company, the plaintiff is asking the court to grant its declaration that the demolition was illegal, null and void.

    It added that the minister’s action violates the provisions of sections 47,50,51,53,60,83 and 84 of the Nigerian Urban and Regional Planning Act (N138), Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.

    The plaintiff is also praying the court to declare that the demolition violates its right to fair hearing, the right to property and the right to housing, as guaranteed by sections 33, 43 and 44 of the 1999 Constitution and Articles 7 and 14 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights (Ratification and Enforcement) Act (CAP A9), Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.

    No date has been fixed for hearing.

     

  • Demolition: FCTA, REDAN begin talks

    •Set-up committee to verify documents

    A ray of hope came the way of developers on the Lugbe/Airport road in Abuja at the weekend as the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) and the Real Estate Developers Association of Nigeria (REDAN) agreed to work out modalities to resolve ongoing estate demolition crisis in the area.

    FCTA had declared all estates on the road illegal and earmarked no few than 37 of them for demolition.

    However, at a forum organised by REDAN and the Department of Development Control, the parties set-up a 13-member committee that would verify the status and documents of each estate along the route and make recommendations to them.

    The committee comprises representative of some Department under FCTA, Development Control, Urban and Regional Planning, Survey and Mapping, Land and the Abuja Geographical Information System, FCT Urban & Regional Planning Tribunal, Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC) and REDAN.

    It was further agreed that the committee, which is expected to begin work immediately, would, at the end, come up with reports and recommendations that would be submitted to the National Assembly Joint Committee on FCT.

    It would be recalled that the National Assembly had waded into the matter following the controversies generated by the demolition of over 500 houses in three estates- Minanuel, Oluyole and Geofra estates – in the area.

    The Acting Director, Department of Development Control, Mr Hamza Madaki, said: “ If we have problem, it is only by telling ourselves the truth that we can move forward. It is not about trading blames. The National Assembly has given a directive that we should suspend demolition and fashion a way to get to the root of the matter and that is the whole essence of this meeting.

    “We are not happy in removing anyone’s building. We are not callous but we did what we did because it was necessary. Our intention was to remove all the estates. We only started with Minanuel Estate and the other two, until the National Assembly waded in. It is our hope that setting up this committee will enable us to find a lasting solution.

    “The truth must be told. What happened is that the government did not envisage any estate on the airport road. If it would be any layout, there is no one that would be done outside the Department of Urban and Regional Planning. There is no way AMAC would have its own layout outside what had earlier been laid out.

    “This is why we say, the approvals they gave for the estates are fake. Approving estates by AMAC is not even part of their schedule. AMAC couldn’t have given approval because they don’t have the professional competence to do such. Maybe there are syndicates in AMAC doing this and this is why we must get to the root of the matter. We must investigate.

    Honestly, it is a big problem. We must fight and this is why we must fight it. Not only in Lugbe, this issue of forgery is everywhere in Abuja and this is why we must fight it. We are not contending that any allocation in AMAC is fake because we are aware they give some allocations. But it is advisable that when dealing with AMAC, you write and get response in writing because a staff member in AMAC can deny giving such documents.”

    Earlier, Hamza, who led the team from Development Control, noted that the government did not envisage any estate development on the airport road, particularly because of its strategic location and AMAC has no authority to grant building approvals for estate development. Though AMAC is an extension of FCDA, it doesn’t have the power to approve estates.

    Speaking on behalf of developers at the forum, the National President of REDAN, Chief Olabode Afolayan, said this was one of the right steps to find a lasting solution to the problem, assuring the public that the outcome of the decision reached would be in their interest.

    Addressing the issue of fake land documents, Afolayan said it had been agreed that the committee would fish-out those responsible for the illegal act, adding that finding a solution to the Lugbe crisis was paramount to REDAN and as such, the association was ready to support the government on the matter.

  • Rethinking Anambra’s demolition strategy

    Rethinking Anambra’s demolition strategy

    ANAMBRA State Governor Peter Obi is right to view the menace of kidnapping as a serious affront to our civilisation and humanity. Reports indeed indicate that Anambra is one of the states seriously threatened by the activities of kidnappers. This may be why on Wednesday the governor led a team of policemen to demolish two buildings belonging to a suspected kidnap kingpin, Emeka Ezekude, in Uli, Ihiala Local Government Area. Ezekude’s buildings were not the first to come under the sledgehammer. Earlier, two other kidnap suspects, Olisa Ifedike, aka Ofeakwu, and Okechukwu Amasiatu, aka Okey Nnewi, had had their buildings acquired by the state government and pulled down. Obi describes the exercise as government’s policy to ruthlessly tackle the menace of kidnapping, a crime that nearly brought business activities and social life to a halt in the state and in nearby Abia State with the exploits of one Obioma Nwankwo, aka Osisikankwu. It is not a surprise that Obi’s policy has received huge support from the state and beyond.

    However, though the kidnap kingpins are described as suspects, and though the law empowering the government to acquire kidnappers’ assets and destroy them were passed a few months ago, no one seems to remember how the prosecution of the suspects has fared. It is important that in spite of the gravity of the crime of kidnapping, there must still be considerable openness in the trial of the suspects. And it does not matter whether, like Ezekude, the suspects were caught in flagrant delicto. The law against kidnapping not only empowers the government to acquire and destroy properties of kidnap suspects, it also provides for the death penalty. The governor on Wednesday reminded the public that he intended to implement the law to the letter. This, therefore, imposes the obligation on him to diligently prosecute the suspects before any punishment is carried out, whether the punishment involves the death penalty or the acquisition and destruction of properties.

    Neither Anambra nor any other state afflicted by the curse of kidnapping – and it is a cancer spreading rapidly all over the country – must surrender to hysteria or extra-judicial tactics. Even if the law against kidnapping is draconian, its provisions must still be openly and scrupulously adhered to. The government and people of the states implementing such tough laws must also not mind however slow the processes of delivering justice on kidnapping are. It is sometimes that slowness and painstakingness that define us civilised human beings. It is hoped that the rule of law would be always fully respected before Anambra State government decides to acquire and destroy kidnap suspects’ properties.

    Though the law against kidnapping was passed a few months back and is already being implemented, it would seem wasteful that after acquiring the properties of kidnap suspects, they are then pulled down. Could the buildings not be turned over to orphanages or even be refitted to serve as police posts and units of state agencies and departments? The earnestness with which Anambra State fights kidnapping is commendable, and even enviable, but it has an obligation to ensure that the law is neither subverted nor compromised for any reason. Something noble must set the ways of the state apart from the ignoble tactics of the kidnappers; and that something must be related to the style and principles that ennoble our humanity.

     

  • NUJ tackles FCDA, Senate over demolition

    NUJ tackles FCDA, Senate over demolition

    The Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Abuja Council, has expressed outrage over the demolition of over 500 housing units by the Department of Development Control of the Federal Capital Development Authority.

    In a statement in Abuja, the council said it was saddened by the unfortunate incident, describing it as ‘callous, inhuman and a clear abuse of office.

    The statement which was signed by Comrade Chuks Ehirim, Chairman of Council, stated that the FCDA has become willing tool in the hands of powerful politicians who use it to forcefully take away people’s lands and re-allocate same to them.

    Ehirim specifically accused a Senate Committee of collusion in the demolition of the already built houses, challenging it to come clean on the matter.

    The NUJ chairman said it is remotely possible for the Development Control to go on with a demolition when the Senate Committee had asked it to suspend action until all matters were resolved.

    “As a union and council, we find it objectionable and wish to let those involved in indiscriminate demolition of peoples’ homes that they will not escape God’s wrath if they are above that of man.

     

  • Senate to probe FCDA over estate demolition

    Senate to probe FCDA over estate demolition

    •Owners demand FCT minister’s sack

    Senate President David Mark yesterday promised to probe the demolition of the Minanuel Estate on Airport Road, Abuja, by the Development Control of the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA).

    The promise came amid calls for the sack of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Senator Bala Muhammed and the Director of the Development Control Unit (DCU), Yahaya Yusuf, by subscribers.

    The demolished 500 housing units were to be handed over to the subscribers by the end of this month.

    But on September 29, the DCU rolled out its bulldozers and demolished the houses valued at over N3 billion.

    A coalition of the subscribers, civil rights activists, religious and cultural organisations yesterday staged a peaceful protest at the National Assembly.

    Addressing the protesters on Mark’s behalf, Senator Abu Ibrahim condemned the authorities of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

    He told the gathering that the upper chamber had met over the issue to review the FCDA’s action.

    Ibrahim said appropriate steps would be taken to assuage the suffering of the subscribers.

    In a protest letter to the Senate President read by their spokesperson, Festus Adebayo, the subscribers demanded adequate compensation.

    They also called for the prosecution of the FCDA officials, who carried out the exercise.

    In the October 5 letter, entitled: “Wanton Demolition of our 500 housing units”, the authors recalled their ordeal in the hands of the FCDA officials on September 29, when the demolition took place.

    The protesters were barred from entering the National Assembly Complex by security officials.

    A subscriber, Goddy Nnorom, lamented how he invested about N4.7 million borrowed from his wife, a banker, who suffered a stroke as a result of the demolition.

    Israel Ekrang, chief executive officer of Isvin Ventures and Chairman, Developers Association Goza called for compensation for the victims.

    The developer said it acquired the land from N.C.R and Associates in 2004 after which he applied for relevant approvals that were duly granted.

    The company has been involved in carrying out the business of mass housing development in various states for over 15 years.