Landlords protest destruction of buildings hotel, barricade Achebe airport road

Chinedum Treasure

Members of the Divine Heaven Amalgamated Landlords Association, Ifite-Nteje in Oyi Local Governement Area of Anambra state have protested destruction of their property by suspected youths of the community.

The protesters, comprising men and women who trooped out in their hundreds, barricaded airport road, Ifite-Nteje, displaying placards with varying inscriptions.

They said several buildings, including a hotel located at the Chinua Achebe Airport Road Ifite-Nteje worth billions of naira were allegedly destroyed by a group parading themselves as the executive members of Ifite-Nteje Development Union.

They appealed to Governor Chukwuma Soludo for his intervention.

One of the victims of the destruction whose name was given as Malachy Chukwu the owner of the demolished hotel was said to have taken his life.

Chairman of the Divine Heaven Amalgamated Landlords Association, Chief Patrick Maduegbuna appealed for Governor Chukwuma Soludo’s intervention to avoid total break down of law and order in the state.

He said, “The transaction took place in 2019 and the association started developing the place after payment.

“But all of a sudden, they started demolishing our property there, saying the land deal had been revoked. They demolished houses, hotel and other buildings nearing completion.

“We called them to know what was the matter, they said we did not buy the land correctly, that we should buy it again and add money.

“We chose to protest rather than taking laws into our hands. There are more than seven estates there. All we want is to have our property back.”

Also speaking, Secretary of the association, Mr Nwako Maduka said the landlords paid all the required dues and the documents signed by the same people who were trying to revoke the land sold to them genuinely.

A civil servant, Mrs Mariam Ijieoma regretted that her entire savings for life was used in acquiring a portion of land there, pleading that the state Governor should salvage the situation in the interest of justice, as she could not afford to buy the land for the second time.

Chairman, Ifite-Nteje land management committee, Chief Ikechukwu Erikeife said some young men who previously sold their own plots were making efforts to sell the same land for the second time, adding that land grabbing to make money at all cost was the source of confusion in Ifite-Nteje.

He said that the parcels of land were acquired by the developers through the right source, promising to look into the situation as the protesters could not afford to buy the land for the second time.

Reacting, Secretary of ifite-Nteje land management committee, Mr Ngoesina Okechukwu described those behind the allegations as meddlesome interlopers, saying Ifite-Nteje community has a way of hoisting leadership in a traditional way.

Okechukwu, a lawyer said the estate developers followed the due process in the acquisition of the land from Ifite-Nteje.

He said, “I was in Abuja and heard about the protest organised by the opposition, who were claiming to be executive members of Ifite-Nteje Development Union.

“The same group was said to have claimed they had abolished the Ifite-Nteje land management committee and revoked the land sold to the landlords association.

“The Ifite-Nteje land management committee is a body constituted by the community with power of attorney which could sue and be sued.

“The court had taken judicial notice of the land committee as representative of Ifite-Nteje, in so many cases, securing judgement for the entire Nteje community,” he explained.

Our correspondent gathered that about 70 associations acquired the vast land occupying strategic position along the airport road and that most of the buildings destroyed were at various stages of completion.

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