Bulldozers were on the roll in the Centenary City layout of Enugu metropolis penultimate Friday as the state government began to demonstrate its resolve to ensure zero tolerance for insecurity and all unapproved structures and properties within the state capital.
Some task force officials from the Enugu Capital Territory Development Authority (ECTDA) stormed the estate and began a demolition exercise, leading to the destruction of several illegal buildings, including some already converted to criminals’ den.
This was said to be against the backdrop of the flagrant and alarming disobedience of building regulations in the state.
Tears, lamentations as victims seek Governor Mbah’s intervention
Residents whose buildings were affected in the demolitions pleaded for the intervention of Governor Peter Mbah. They insisted that the land genuinely belonged to them, adding that they had genuine documents from the state government to back up their claims.
One of them was the owner of Censers Church Inc. Worldwide, Rev. Ugochukwu Anike, who expressed sadness over the demolition of his mighty church building.
He said: “I am sad and devastated. This is a sad day in the history of our church. Yesterday, 19th January, 2024, I got information that bulldozers were entering this place and that they were doing some demolitions.
“When I came, people said our street was not part of it. And truly a lot of buildings were standing here.
“But they entered the street and entered my own church specifically.
“This should not be done to anyone. The same documents other buildings have are what I have. I have the documentation of this property. Why was I discriminately targeted?”
He recalled that Mbah, during his electioneering campaigns, had come to the church.
“I gave you the platform of the church that has thousands of people in it to address the church because you considered us important.
“I don’t believe you have a hand in this.
“Someone needs to explain to me why the church was specifically targeted while other buildings were standing.
“It’s not been up to one year that you took office and you are starting with demolitions.
“You are harping on investment. How can we invest in Enugu State when the ones already invested by citizens are not secure?
“No notice was served here but discriminately demolished because other buildings are standing here,” he said.
Another owner and content creator, popularly known on social media as Untouchable Comedies, had to make a viral video on Saturday alleging that the Enugu Government demolished over 200 buildings in Centenary City.
In the said video, he was seen appealing to Governor Peter Mbah to come to their aid and prevent further demolition of people’s investments.
He also alleged that he bought the land while the necessary documents were given to him, wondering why his building would be marked for demolition.
“They asked us to come back home, and this is what they are doing to us. This is my only building in Enugu, and ECTDA marked it for demolition. They should tell us what to pay instead of demolishing our houses,” Unstoppable Comedies had said in the video.
He would however apologise to the governor on Sunday for overreacting, saying he was overtaken by emotion.
Government justifies action
While the demolition of structures has drawn tears and lamentation, the chairman of the ECTDA, Mr. Uche Anya, justified the action, describing the buildings demolished as criminals’ hideouts and illegal development without titles and approval from the Enugu State Government.
Anya, who conducted newsmen around the demolished structures deep in the forest of the Centenary City located at Obeagu/Amechi Akwunanaw in Enugu South LGA, insisted that the agency would not succumb to blackmail, adding that the owners were given notices to remove the illegal structures.
He added that in the course of the demolition, the agency burst into kidnappers in a building at the isolated part of the estate.
Anya said kidnappers were arrested from the building while a lot of guns, 24 mobile phones, eight CCTV cameras with SIM cards were recovered from them and handed over to the police.
“It is apposite to state that the action of the ECTDA in Centenary City is Rule of Law at work.
“The ECTDA law prohibits carrying out any development or municipal service within the Capital Territory without the written approval of the Authority.
“For the avoidance of doubts, Section 13 (1) of the Enugu Capital Territory Development Authority Law, 2009 provides: ‘Notwithstanding the provisions of any other law, as from the commencement of this Law, no person or body shall carry out any development or municipal service within the Capital Territory, unless such development or municipal service has been approved in writing by the Authority.’
“However, whereas the current ECTDA leadership is determined to stop unauthorised developments and carry on with the urban master plan restoration and renewal process, including those initiated by successive administrations, we took the initiative to mark the affected properties in October 2023, issuing notices that should accord the developers a window to regularise their titles/properties, if any.
“For emphasis, even though the notices had since expired, no unapproved but completed or occupied building was demolished during the exercise by ECTDA. We are still calling on the developers to do the right thing.
“Meanwhile, it is to be made clear that the ECTDA operation of Friday, January 19, was based on an intelligence report about an illegal development/property that served as kidnappers’ den at the Centenary City.
“In the course of our due diligence, we also found out that the property, like many others at Centenary City, had no title or approval from the appropriate authorities.
“Although the building was not fully completed, the criminals had already mounted sophisticated surveillance equipment such as CCTV cameras, PTZ cameras, in addition to about two dozens of mobile phones denoting the dangerous level of sophistication.
“As some of the videos already in public domain clearly show, we made some chilling discoveries on storming the property with security operatives, including several guns and suspected kidnappers, whom the security agents were able to apprehend,” the ECTDA chairman said.
Also speaking, the Enugu State Commissioner for Information, Mr. Aka Eze Aka, responded to a trending video where allegations of indiscriminate demolitions were made.
He said: “What we saw in the trending video today was an attempt by the originators to de-market Enugu State as an investment destination for real estate development. But in reality, the operation by ECTDA and the security agencies was a testament that government is resolved to rid the state of criminal elements and protect property rights and investments in the state.
“In this instance, you are all aware of the distance we travelled from the city to get to this place. The culprits did not only erect the structures without any title and approval, they got inside this place pretending to be a block industry, whereas as you can see, they were into nefarious activities.”
On the allegations made by a content creator on the social media, the Commissioner said: “When the person who was on the video began to talk about trying to destroy his house and so on, it is important to state that not one single building that has been marked for demolition was touched because we also have human feelings to allow these houses for them to be regularised.
“They just went about to recycle old videos where some properties were destroyed by past administrations.
“It is also funny that the young man has been brandishing a mere Deed, which cannot be an approval to build.”
Government’s action illegal –
Rights group
Meanwhile, a rights group, Civil Rights Realisation and Advancement Network (CRRAN), has described as unlawful the demolitions by the Enugu State Government. The group accused the state government of failing to understand the provisions of the law on the acquisition of land for public purposes.
In a statement titled: “Centenary City crises and unlawful demolition; failure of successive governments to understand the provisions of The Land Use Act on acquisition of land for public purposes”, the president, Olu Omotayo, faulted the process through which the state acquired the said land.
While quoting a report in a national daily, Omotayo recalled that former Governor Jim Nwobodo initiated the process for acquisition of the land from Amaechi people when he was governor for the purpose of building a university for the state.
“When Governor Chimaroke Nnamani was governor, he decided to establish the university in Agbani, thereby rendering the land fallow. The position of the law is that the land reverts back to the original owners once it is not used for public purpose.
“So, it is wrong for successive governors in the state to claim that they ceded the land to private developers. It is unlawful and illegal and an act of executive lawlessness and rascality, because the land can only be used for public purposes for the general benefit of the citizens of the state.
“The Court of Appeal In Odusote V. Seriki held as follows: “The acquisition must be for bona fide public purpose. It is suggested that for a particular purpose to qualify as public purpose or public interest, it must not be vague and the way it benefits the public at large must be capable of proof.
“The test is whether or not the purpose is meant to benefit the public and not just to aid the commercial transaction of a company or a group of people for their own selfish or financial purposes,” he said.
The group continued: “We submit that the Hallmark of democracy is the respect for the Rule of law and fundamental rights of the citizens. Once government acquired land for public purpose pursuant to the provisions of the Land Use Act, and the land is not used for the specified public purpose, it should revert back to the original owners.
“The government cannot give it to a private person or private enterprise or developer. The courts in this regard have consistently maintained that the government cannot rob Peter to pay Paul”.
