Emma Sunday
Landlords in Cedarwood Garden Estate, whose buildings were marked for demolition by Stephen Nyegwa, CEO of Delta Technology and Property Limited, have insisted that Nyegwa has no valid court order backing his actions.
Addressing journalists on Thursday, the landlords, residing at the Iroko, Lemon and Cenamon Drives in the Estate at Rumuagholu Community, Obio-Akpor local government area of the State, accused Mr Nyegwa of attempting to unlawfully dispossess them of their properties after marking their houses for demolition citing court order without any suit number.
They described Nyegwa’s actions as land grabbing, unlawful and provocative, while challenging Nyegwa to show legal justification to his actions.
The property owners also accused the police of complacency, alleging that despite several petitions to the state command, nothing concrete had been done to salvage the situation.
They called for urgent intervention from the Rivers State Government led by Governor Siminalayi Fubara, the Inspector General of Police (IGP), the Commissioner of Police in the State, CP Olugbenga Adepoju and other relevant security agencies to prevent what they described as looming crisis.
They warned that the situation could escalate into a full-blown conflict if left unchecked.
Speaking, one of the affected landlords, Mr. Maduabuchi Chioma, expressed shock that Mr Nyegwa will just wake up and start marking the houses they built with their hard earned resources for demolition with claims to have a Court order.
He said, “We are here this morning to call on the Inspector General of Police and Commissioner of Police to respond to our petitions concerning the illegal land grabbing activities happening in this estate.
“Again to let the members of the public know that the falsehood being circulated by one Mr Stephen Nyegwa is not true.
“We woke up one morning and saw inscriptions on our walls, “marked for demolition by court order”. There is no court order placed on our walls. What we saw was phone numbers placed on our wall. We bought these lands legally many years ago and built on them without any opposition. Mr Stephen should provide valid court order he claims to have.
Another landlord in Ceanamon drive, Ifeanyi Nwachukwu, expressed shock that some of those who sold lands to them, have turned around to attempt to grab them through the back door.
He said, “I did not buy land from Apostle. I heard he (Nyegwa) is having problems with Apostle. I bought my land from Anderson. I am surprised that even the people we bought land from are joining them to grab our land.”
Victor Okezie also a landlord in the estate challenged those attempting to demolish their properties to paste the court order empowering them.
“We woke up one morning and saw inscriptions like “marked for demolition by court order” on our walls and our gates, asking us to call a particular number.
“Ordinarily, we would have chose to ignore it but we became curious. If he has a court order, he should bring the court order that says our building should be demolished. Paste it on our walls or gates. Then, we will take the necessary actions and know what to do.
“Is unfortunate that even at this age, people will be doing things like this. Every step should be taken to call them to order,” he said.
Rita Ibifaka, a landlady in the estate insisted that inscriptions on their walls and gates without the backing of the law is provocative.
She said, “What is going on is bad. You cannot just come and damage our fences without a court order,is not proper”.
Another landlord, Engr Jack Chibundu who called on the security agencies to intervene, boasted that he cannot be intimidated by the illegal activities of criminals.
He said, “My house was marked for demolition without any court order by land grabbers.
“I call on the Rivers State Government and Inspector General of Police to call them to order. This is how crisis starts. I bought the land legally and nobody can intimidate me.”
Another landlord of the estate, Chinedu Igweze, expressed worry that despite the alarm raised by the landlords, the police is yet to launch an investigation into the unfolding conflict.
“We are not dragging land with anybody. We have done our investigations. There is no court order anywhere ordering that . Let the statutory authority ask him to produce the court order,” Igweze said.
Meanwhile, the Chairman of Ceanamon drive, Barr. Gbenga Oladapo, had challenged Nyegwa to produce the court order that empowered him to mark properties of legitimate landlords for demolition.
He said, “I want to say all we are asking for is for Stephen Nyegwa to produce the court order. We are not in court with anybody for ownership of land.
“What we are interested in is that he came to mark our buildings for demolition ace. We want to know where he got the court order from.
“Did he get the order from court of appeal? If he can give us a valid court order that empowers him to demolish our building from court of competent jurisdiction we will all beg him and do publication in three national dailies.
“Anybody who comes to somebody’s house and inscribe, marked for demolition without order of court, the person is a land grabber.
“We are ready to go to court. He is a land grabber. He should stay away from Cinnamon, lemon and Iroko drives. Until now no investigation, no invite by the Police”.
Meanwhile, my Stephen Nyegwa in his responsse denied any involvement in land grabbing, insisting that he is not a land grabber.
Nyegwa insisted that the lands in question were the share of his mother’s kitchen which rightfully belongs to him.
Similarly, the Rivers State Police Command, had denied being complicit in the conflict, stating that the police is working round the clock to amicably resolve the impasse.
The State Police Public Relations Officer, SP Grace Iringe-Koko, disclosed that the Divisional Police Officer, DPO, of Rumudomaya Special Area had been drafted to ascertain the bone of contention.
She however revealed that the police is prohibited from involving in civil matters pertaining to land disputes, pledging that the Command under the leadership of Commissioner of Police, CP Olugbenga Adepoju, will always be professional and unbiased in their duties.
