Several people were critically injured and properties worth billions of naira destroyed yesterday in Abuja when senior staff members of Development Control Department of the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA) led over 60 armed soldiers and mobile policemen to Winning Clause Estate, Gwarimpa, for a demolition exercise. By the time they left, over 200 duplexes had been pulled down.
The demolition team which arrived at the estate at about 10am yesterday sealed off the two gates leading to the estate and drafted armed soldiers to area to prevent residents from going in or coming out from the estate. Many of the house owners who had gone to their places of work before the demolition team arrived later came and met their buildings pulled down.
Apart from the buildings, cars packed in their various compounds and other properties worth billions of naira were also affected. Some residents who protested the exercise were thoroughly beaten up by the armed security agents. Many of them, including a pregnant woman, were rushed to various hospitals for medical attention.
LEADERSHIP, which witnessed the exercise, spoke with one of the leaders of the team who expressed sadness over the issue but said they were “carrying out their legitimate duty” as directed by the minister of FCT in collaboration with Winning Clause Estate.
“We are not demolishing the houses because they are illegal; you can see that not all houses are affected. I think some house owners have personal problem with the estate managers, Winning Clause Ltd, and our bosses in the office. It is very sad but we have to do our job”, an FCDA staff member who does not wants his name mentioned in the print stated.
Lawyer to the house owners, Mr Femi Falana (SAN), yesterday expressed shock and described the demolition as illegal, especially as the matter is pending before Abuja High Court 24. He promised to take up the matter with FCDA and the court. The matter comes up today.
Residents of the mass housing estate in Abuja (Plot 67, Kafe District) recently appealed to the FCT minister Bala Mohammed to resolve the longstanding issue surrounding the estate. They had petitioned President Goodluck Jonathan and the minister sometime last year, detailing how after they bought their plots from Saraha Homes Ltd in 2009 and in 2011, the FCDA revoked the plot in controversial circumstances and re-allocated it to Winning Clause Ltd.
The residents had insisted that the plot, which was reallocated to Winning Clause, was now being used by some land speculators in Abuja to defraud many innocent residents.
Mr Falana (SAN) instituted a legal action on behalf of the residents at the Abuja High Court, praying the court to set aside the consent judgement delivered by the court last year concerning the property without taking into consideration the interest of the residents.
