Enugu Capital Territory Development Authority, ECTDA has demolished the residence of Architect John Emejulu, who was accused of demolishing about 1km perimeter fence of Akanu Ibiam International Airport Enugu.
According to Njenje Media News reporter in Enugu, the private residence of Architect John Emejulu located along Eziokwe street, off Nike Lake road, Trans-Ekulu, Enugu was pulled down today, 14 August 2020. The demolition was supervised by the Chairman of ECTDA, Dr Josef Onoh, who explained that his agency obtained a court order to demolish the duplex.
Recall that the minister of aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika, who visited the airport yesterday Thursday 13th August in preparation for its reopening on the 30th of August while speaking to newsmen after inspecting the site to noted that the destruction of government property is unacceptable.
The minister of aviation Hadi Sirika who was visibly angry noted that the perpetrator could take such an unlawful act by destroying a “national security asset”, at a time the federal government was in the course of delivering the Enugu airport, on August 30, as promised.
Sirika when narrating events that led to what transpired said that “while the procurement (of the Enugu airport rehabilitation) was going on, a certain cantankerous individual by name Arch. J.J. Emejulu came with bulldozers and hundreds of armed thugs and destroyed more than 2km of our fence”.
The Federal government wants to upgrade the Akanu Ibiam International Airport, the land of a private citizen entered the upgrade. Pay him what is due since the court has judged that the land belongs to him, the federal government didn’t. Next stop, they start fencing the area.
Private citizen goes there with equipment and destroys the fence the government put up on his property. The federal government says they will prosecute him, that Nigeria is not a lawless country which is funny because trespassing is a crime.
The demolished house of Architect John Emejulu The demolished Airport fence The demolished Airport fence Governor of Enugu State inspecting the Airport yesterday, 13/08/20 The demolished Airport fence The demolished Airport fence
The Minister, who described the action as unfortunate, unbecoming and unacceptable, said that “he (Emejulu) has given the government the opportunity to show how not to willfully destroyed public asset belonging to over 200 million people”.
While reiterating the commitment of the federal government to the reopening of the Enugu airport on August 30, as earlier promised, Sirika, expressed dismay that in spite of the efforts of President Muhammadu Buhari, to bring the airport back to its glory, with the nation’s limited resources and “at this very austere time”, to contribute to trade and commerce as well as guarantee safety of air travelers, “a certain cantankerous individual appeared from nowhere with bulldozers and destroyed this national security asset”.
“It is the wrong time to test our resolve. The individual will certainly be dealt with maximally without recourse. I am sure he will regret doing this and of course, this is also an opportunity for the government to show that no one can take the law into his hands and willfully destroy national asset belonging to 200 million of all of us.
Njenje Media News is questioning why everyone is ignoring the fact that Mr Emejulu has a valid court order stating that the government is the one trespassing on his land.
According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) report, that an Enugu State High Court had in 2017 given a judgement in favour of Mr Emejulu pertaining to the expanse of land in Phase IV and V of Airport Road Layout.
However, previous attempts to execute the court order failed due to alleged interference by notable politicians in the state.
Mr Emejulu in Suit no. E/ 165M/2020 returned to the court through an application by Motion on Notice for the court to compel the Commissioner of Police, Enugu State and the Inspector-General of Police to execute the court’s judgment.
On June 3, 2020, Justice J. L. C. Okibe granted an order of mandamus compelling the police to enforce the judgement and prosecute anyone that hinders its judgement.
Mr Emejulu in the early hours of Wednesday visited the affected site with equipment to take possession of the land and pulled down illegal structures including those erected for the operation of the air.
He alleged that some politicians in the state, including the member representing Enugu East/Isiuzo Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Cornelius Nnaji, and others were behind the trespass on the land.
Mr Emejulu, who is an architect by training, claimed that he bought the 400 plots of land in 2008 from Umuenwene Iji Nike community in Enugu East Local Government Area of the state.
Mr Emejulu gave the government soft landing when he noted that, “I am not opposed to the government using my land for development projects but the right thing must be done. They cannot take my land by force,” he said.
