SAD:1 Person Dies, 10 Others Hospitalised as Anambra Marks Houses for Demolition

Governor Willie Obiano

A demolition exercise sanctioned by Governor Willie Obiano of Anambra State has inflicted pains and untold hardship on its people. 

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, last 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.

Vanguard 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.”