Christopher Oji
Widow of pastor Shitu Mudashiru, Mrs. Bukola Shitu has cried to the Ogun State governor, Ibikunle Amusun over the demolition of the Church and only house left behind by her late husband by the State government.
According to Bukola, her family have been living in the community and in the premises for over ten years without harassment by either private individuals or the government.
She said on march 22, she and other church members were in the church when the officials of the Ogun state government came and said they had come to demolish the house and church as they were built on government acquisition land.
“When the officials of the state government came, it was during church service, the leader of the team threatened to demolish the building on us, if we failed to come out on time. We hurriedly rounded up the prayer session and come out from the church.
“Before the demolition was carried out, some officials of the Urban and Regional Planning from Warewa area had come to served us notice of demolition. We did not take them seriously, because we have all the necessary documents concerning the land.
“Before they commenced the demolition exercise, I approached one of the government officials to know why they wanted to destroyed our church and house. He said that we built on government acquired land.”
“I told the government officials that we have all the necessary documents for the property. We did verification from the government before we bought It was after we had chart with the ministry and we clarified that it was not government acquisition land that we paid the person we bought the land from.
“I am a widow , my children and I were sleeping in the cold for a week before we could get money to rent a room apartment. I don’t know where to start from.That is why I am appealing to Governor Amusun and well meaning Nigerians to come to my aid
Also, Alhaji Shakiru Adeleye, whose house was also affected, told our correspondent that the demolition exercise was carried out in bad fate.
Adeleye said, he has been living in the community even before the present government assumed office without problem.
He said: “When I saw government agency demolishing our houses, I asked why they had to destroyed our hard earned houses, the only answer they could give us was that we built our houses on government land.