Victims of Anambra demolition allege victimisation by police, armed thugs

About 2000 shop owners located at the bank of Niger River along Street Fegge, Onitsha South Local Council of Anambra State have expressed dismay over the demolition of their shops and purported deployment of police and armed thugs to stop them from regaining their shops and carrying out normal daily business activities.

The victims of the demolished shops, which they used as an equipment and operation office by members of the Sand Miners Association of Anambra State claimed that about 4,000 of their members have been displaced while multi-millions Naira worth of equipment were damaged in the exercise.

While some of the victims alleged that the demolition was an act of vendetta for not ingratiating some government officials, others claimed they are law-abiding.

They also claimed paying their levies to both the State and Federal Government through Nigeria Inland Waterways Agency (NIWA) and were not given prior notice before the exercise was carried out.

But in a swift reaction, the Transition Committee Chairman for Onitsha South Local Council, Emeka Orji, who contended that he was carrying out the orders of the State Governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo denied their claims.

Meanwhile, aggrieved by the demolition, some of the Sand beach and shops owners, including the Manager of Lake Petroleum Limited, Chief Okechukwu Okoye, who claimed to have lost over 130 shops and equipment worth millions of naira have dragged the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice to a Federal High Court in Awka.

Also named as defendants in the suit are Onitsha South Local Council and the Officer in-charge of the Legal Department of the Nigerian Police Force.

The suit, which recently came up before Justice Namdi Dimgba was adjourned to April 26, for hearing on the prayer for an injunction restraining Anambra State government from trespassing into Ndende Land situated along Niger Street, Onitsha, pending the determination of motion of enforcement of fundamental rights to own immovable property in Nigeria.