From Tony John, Port Harcourt

 

Tension is building up in Umueye community of Oyigbo urban in Oyigbo Local Government Area of Rivers State with respect to a purported circular given to property owners by natives over the planned demolition of structures for alleged proposed road construction by the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).

Sunday Sun gathered that a circular signed by one Elder Daniel Ogbuji, Nwankwo Chidiebere and Michael Azuh, respectively as chairman, secretary, and youth leader of Umueye community, directed concerned residents, whose property and signposts were marked to remove such property or risk demolition by youths in the community.

The circular read in part: “This is to inform you that your structure/building and signboards are marked within the road map of the aforementioned name above.

“Therefore, you are advised to re-arrange/remove that structure immediately to avoid demolishing it by ourselves for futuristic (sic)/developmental reasons, especially the forthcoming road grading in Umueye road phase 1 and 2.”

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It was further gathered that some of the residents, who are ignorant of the provisions of the Land Use Act have started removing their structures out of panic.

Some of the residents confirmed that they received the circular from the group directing them to remove their structures.

A resident of High Tension Area of Umueye, Oyigbo, Policarp Jonah, said that he was served the notice to remove his building for a proposed grading of road.

Jonah said: “I received a circular directing me to remove my house for a proposed grading of the road. The person that brought the circular told me that the Rivers State government in partnership with Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) had awarded the contract for the construction of the road. The person told me that the community had the mandate of NDDC to remove structures that fall within the proposed road.”

He wondered why youths of a community could usurp the government’s power, by threatening to demolish buildings under the guise of road construction.