By Praise Chinecherem
A human rights activist, Mr Osita Obi has raised the alarm over alleged demolition of his house by Anambra State government.
He said the newly constructed apartment, a duplex, located at the Executive Business District area, near the abandoned government house, Awka was pulled down on Wednesday.
Speaking to reporters, Obi said he was pained because he was unable to remove some needed items in the house, saying the demolition took him unawares.
He said, “My pain is not that the house was demolished, after all, government once told us that the area had been acquired by it, and that the houses built there will be demolished.
“My pain is that when they wanted to demolish it, they didn’t as little as notify us, so that we can remove some useful items in the house. My wife has been in tears since after the demolition. She has been crying ceaselessly.
“I have heard that government has said it will pay us compensation as it was captured in the 2023 appropriation bill, but if they notified us, it would have helped us bear 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?”
AnambraDaily however gathered that Awka Capital Territory Development Agency had reached out to the activist, assuring him of compensation for the demolished building.
The victim, the Coordinator of Anambra Keke and Shuttle Drivers Union has been championing the cause of tricycle operators in the state, including engaging government, for reduction of taxes paid by the operators.
He was also Coordinator of Movement for the Conduct of Local Government Election in the State, an organization he used to engage both the Peter Obi and Willie Obiano’s administration over non conduct of local government elections in the state.
