Govt speaks on reported demolition of buildings in Enugu property

The Enugu State Authorities has spoken on the reported demolition of some properties in Centenary Property in Enugu State.

The property, popularly often known as the Centenary Metropolis, is situated on a big expanse of land belonging to Obeagu Awkunanaw and a few households in Amechi Uwani, a neighbouring neighborhood in Enugu South Native Authorities Space of the state.

It was, nonetheless, stated to have been acquired by an property developer, Non-public Estates Worldwide West Africa through the administration of a former governor of the state, Sullivan Chime.

The reported demolition

A preferred Nigerian skit maker, Chibuike Ugwu, in any other case often known as Untouchable had, on 19 January in a video clip, raised an alarm that his mansion was on the verge of being demolished by the state’s city growth company, the Enugu Capital Territory Growth Authority.

Within the five-minute clip which has gone viral on social media, Mr Ugwu appealed to Nigerians to assist him prevail on Governor Peter Mbah of Enugu State to not demolish his property.

The skit maker stated he was not concerned in any fraud and that he constructed the property by his arduous work, including that he has all of the paperwork to indicate that the property was authorised.

He stated he returned from Lagos State, Nigeria’s south-west and noticed that his constructing within the property had been marked for attainable demolition with an instruction to him to take away the construction.

The clip confirmed that the constructing was marked for demolition by the Enugu Capital Territory Growth Authority on 12 January.

It additionally confirmed many different buildings within the property which had been demolished by the company.

“They destroyed greater than 200 homes on this property at this time. These are individuals’s investments. They got here right here. They had been threatening to destroy my home. They even introduced an excavator and tried to demolish it,” he stated in a mix of English and pidgin English.

Mr Ugwu stated he was able to pay any levy imposed by the federal government on homeowners of properties within the property.

“Na my solely home for Enugu State be this, abeg,” he pleaded repeatedly.

Govt speaks

Reacting, The Enugu State Authorities denied demolishing any constructing within the property, saying the originators of the video clip tried to de-market the state for funding.

The State Commissioner for Data, Aka Eze Aka, and the Chairperson of the Enugu Capital Territory Growth Authority, Uche Anya, debunked the allegation on Saturday after they performed reporters round some demolished buildings within the property, in keeping with the Information Company of Nigeria.

They defined that the affected buildings had been demolished as a result of they served as kidnappers’ hideout, stressing that it was but to demolish any of the unapproved constructions within the space.

The officers added that the motion of the event company in collaboration with safety companies underscored the federal government’s dedication to the safety of lives and property, safety of investments and contracts with traders.

“The culprits didn’t solely erect the constructions with none title and approval, they obtained inside this place pretending to be doing block trade, whereas as you may see, they had been into nefarious actions,” Mr Aka stated whereas addressing reporters.

The commissioner stated, opposite to allegations by the skit maker, “not one single constructing earmarked for demolition was touched.”

“It’s because we even have a human feeling to permit these homes for them to be regularised; they only went about to recycle previous movies the place some property had been destroyed by previous administrations,” he stated.

On his half, Mr Anya stated the company wouldn’t “succumb to blackmail, together with recycling and trending of movies of previous demolitions.”

He defined that the regulation establishing the company prohibited finishing up any growth or municipal service throughout the capital territory with out the written approval of the authority.

He stated the management of the event company was decided to cease unauthorised developments and stick with it with the city grasp plan restoration and renewal course of, together with these initiated by successive administrations.

“We took the initiative to mark the affected property in October 2023, issuing notices that ought to accord the builders a window to regularise their titles/properties, if any.

READ ALSO: Police raid criminals’ hideout in Enugu, arrest 3, get well firearms

“For emphasis, despite the fact that the notices had since expired, no unapproved however accomplished or occupied constructing was demolished through the train by ECTDA. We’re nonetheless calling on the builders to do the precise factor,” he stated.

He defined that the 19 January demolition was based mostly on an intelligence report about an unlawful property that served as a kidnappers’ den on the Centenary Metropolis.

He confused that in the midst of their “due diligence,” they came upon that the property, like many others at Centenary Metropolis, had no title or approval from the suitable authorities.

“Though the constructing was not absolutely accomplished, the criminals had already mounted subtle surveillance tools corresponding to CCTV cameras, and PTZ cameras, along with about two dozen cellphones denoting the damaging stage of sophistication.

“As among the movies already within the public area clearly present, we made some chilling discoveries on storming the property with safety operatives, together with a number of weapons and suspected kidnappers, whom the safety brokers had been in a position to apprehend,” he stated.

Apology?

In the meantime, there are studies on Sunday that the skit maker has apologised to the governor for the video clip claiming he was misinformed and influenced by his feelings to make the allegations.

However PREMIUM TIMES couldn’t independently verify the event in the meanwhile.

(NAN)