A middle aged woman (names withheld) reportedly
slumped and died in Ugwuachalla Ikenga village, Ogidi, Idemili North Local
Government Area, Anambra State, when Physical Planning Board, ANSPPB, marked
her house for demolition, weekend.
Ten others are also said to be hospitalised following
the storming of the areas by officials of ANSPPB, who allegedly marked their
buildings and 500 others for demolition.
The victim was said to have collapsed and died after
signing the ANSPPB order handed over to her by officials of the agency, who
stormed the area with armed policemen and local vigilance groups, as they
embarked on marking buildings for demolition with red ink.
We gathered that in each house, the owner was
forced to sign a removal/demolition order letter signed by the Executive
Secretary of ANSPPB, Mr. Ben Nwafor, notifying them that they have 14 days to
remove whatever structure they erected in the said area.
A resident, Mr. Paul Okoye, expressed surprise over
the manner they stormed the area, adding “we have lived here a long time after
our forefathers. From the manner they were ordering us to sign the document and
to ensure we vacate the area within 14 days, we thought they were the dreaded
Islamic religious sect, Boko Haram.” Contacted, the ANSPPB Executive Secretary
said: “The land, measuring about 500 plots, were earmarked for stadium
development, but because government did not commence its development earlier,
the people started selling the land. “Governor Willie Obiano, through the Sports
Ministry, ordered for the demolition of the structures erected there.”
Source: Vanguard
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