Enugu State demolishes twin duplex for blocking waterway

Fri, Aug 14, 2020
By editor
3 MIN READ

Politics

ENUGU State Government on Friday demolished a twin duplex belonging to one Mr. John Emejulu, for allegedly blocking the waterway.

Mr. Joseph Onoh, Chairman of ECTDA, who supervised the demolition said that the building stood on the waterway.

Recall that Emejulu had gone to airport layout phase IV and V to enforce a court judgment in respect of a hitherto disputed land measuring 400 plots.

In the course of the enforcement, he pulled down some pillars of perimeter fence of Akanu Ibiam International Airport which was affected by the court judgment.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the houses located at Eziokwe Street, Community Estate, off Nike Lake Resort Road, Trans Ekulu was demolished by officials of the Enugu Capital Territory Development Authority (ECTDA).

Onoh said that notice of violation served the victim by the Department of Building Inspection, ECTDA also stated that the structure violated building standard.

However, the owner of the property differed from the position of the state government.

Emejulu said that the twin duplex built-in 2012 has a duly approved plan and did not stand on the waterway.

He described the demolition of the property as a planned reprisal because of the move to recover his landed property illegally sold by some government officials.

He said that prior to Aug. 12, he never received any notice of intent to demolish his property on the ground that it was built on the waterway.

Emejulu wondered why the government singled out the structures for demolition on the pretext that it was built on waterway while other adjoining properties in the neighborhood were not touched.

“After the Aug. 12 incident, when I went to Airport Layout Phase IV and V to enforce a court judgment on my plots of land forcefully taken by the government and private individuals, I received a notice from ECTDA.

“They came to my house that evening and wrote, ”remove within 24 hours” on my fence. This morning they came with earthmoving equipment and demolished the house. I lost everything.

”They pasted a notice on the building and claimed that it is the third time they are serving me. Unfortunately, the date written with red paint on my wall is Aug. 12,” he said.

Emejulu said that the demolition of his property was a clear indication that the government was chastising him and had a hand in the forceful takeover of his land.

NAN reports that he also pulled down the perimeter fence of some private buildings illegally erected on the land while the doors and windows of some private houses were destroyed. (NAN)

– Aug. 14, 2020 @ 18.19 GMT |

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