Mr Osita Obi, a human rights activist, had his newly built house demolished by the Anambra State Government.
The duplex, which was built in Awka’s Executive Business District near the abandoned government house, was demolished on Wednesday.
Obi, who raised the alarm about the destruction, expressed his disappointment because he was not even informed of the planned destruction so he could remove some needed items from the house.
“My pain is not that the house was demolished; after all, the government once told us that the area had been acquired by it and that the houses built there would be demolished,” he told journalists.
“My plight is that when they decided to demolish it, they did not even notify us so that we could remove some useful items from the house.” Since the demolition, my wife has been in tears. She hasn’t stopped crying.
“I have heard that the government has stated that it will pay us compensation as stated in the 2023 Appropriation Bill, but if they had notified us, it would have helped us cope with the shock of the demolition.”
“That house was built by my wife, even one Kobo of mine did not go into it. My wife is a retiree from a federal government agency, and she used her life saving and retirement fund to buy the land and also construct the building. The land was very legally acquired, and even my building plan was approved by government.
“Now they are telling me they will pay compensation, do they want to kill my wife so that I will use the money they will pay me to bury her?” He inquired rhetorically.
However, it has been learned that the Awka Capital Territory Development Agency has contacted the activist and assured him that he will be compensated for the demolished building.
Comrade Osita Obi, coordinator of the Anambra Keke and Shuttle Drivers Union, has been at the forefront of championing the cause of tricycle riders in the state, including engaging the government to reduce taxes paid by operators.
He was previously the coordinator of the Movement for the Conduct of Local Government Elections in Anambra State, and he held the Peter Obi and Willie Obiano administrations to account for the state’s failure to hold local government elections.
