NAN-H-73
Demolition
By Harrison Arubu
Abuja, Dec. 14, 2016 (NAN) Some owners of property on the controversial Plot 1695 in Dawaki area of FCT, have accused a former governorship aspirant in Niger, Alhaji Saleh Sahabi, of illegally demolishing their property.
The property owners expressed their displeasure in separate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Abuja.
Mr Ibiang Ofem, one of the property owners, told NAN that Sahabi stormed the area on Saturday with bulldozers and thugs, claiming that the plot, measuring 3.91 hectares, belonged to him.
NAN reports that Dawaki District is located behind News Engineering Company, which is situated opposite Gwarinpa Estate on the Kubwa Expressway, falls under Bwari Area Council of the FCT.
Speaking on behalf of others, Ofem, a private sector worker, said parcels of the contentious plot on which they built their houses were allocated to them by the Bwari Area Council.
Cue in audio 1 (Ofem)
“The allocation was made since 2001, and some of us have been here since 2009, when we started developing the place.
“Surprisingly around 2012, somebody came with another allocation from the FCT, that he owns the whole of this place, about three hectares.
“So, when we asked to see his papers and layout, he brought out a layout that was showing bush.
“We told him there is a layout in this place which we all have.
“Even Development Control has the same layout approved by the minister. So, where did you get your own?
“He couldn’t explain. He said he was the owner of the place.
“He came in with a bulldozer and was demolishing people’s fences; even Arab Contractors’ gate was affected.
“He brought the gate down, along with the gatehouse and fence.
“He is just an individual, not that he is coming from government.
“So, we begin to wonder whether we are in a banana republic.
“You people have to help us find out why an individual is doing demolition in the FCT.’’
Cue out audio 1 (Ofem)
Responding, Sahabi, who contested in the 2015 governorship election in Niger on the PDP platform, dismissed the allegations, saying he only cleared bushes on the unoccupied sections of the plot.
Speaking through Mr Godwin Omagbogu, his lawyer, Sahabi said the plot was allocated to him by the Federal Capital Territory Administration.
He described his accusers as illegal occupants.
Cue in audio 2 (Sahabi)
“The issue of ownership of plot 1695 in Dawaki has been lingering for some time, until the present minister came in, and set up a committee to look into this matter.
“Fortunately, it was resolved in favour of my client, and my client was instructed to go and retain his property, and he was communicated vide a letter dated Nov. 3.
“He went there and saw buildings illegally coming up on the property he reported the matter to development control.
“Development control came and marked such property that were illegally built on the plot.
It behooves on them to come and demolish any time they deem fit to demolish.
“None of such properties was touched. But my client that was asked to go and take possession had to start clearing the field; it was only the field that he cleared.
“We are human beings. My client cannot see a building standing and go and pull it down. My client will be the last person to do that.
“If you go to the site you will see them working day and night despite the markings of development control.
“Some of their buildings have been brought down more than two times before now, and they never bothered to stop work despite the fact that they do not have building plan approval, they do not have the allocation of that place.”
Cue out audio 2 (Sahabi)
Sahabi backed his ownership claim with a title approval dated Nov. 3, 2016 and signed by Mr Umar Sayyadi, the Deeds Registrar in the FCTA Department of Land Administration, on behalf of the minister.
He also showed NAN photographs of residential buildings on the plot marked for demolition by the FCTA Department of Development Control.
“It is only in Nigeria people will commit crime and go to constituted authorities to legalise the crime; it is very unfortunate.’’ (NAN)
ARU/LAB/YEE
Edited by Lydia Beshel/Emmanuel Yashim
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