Community Sues Federal Government N100 Billion For Demolition Of Properties

Atinporomeh community located along the Badagry expressway has sued the Federal Government #100 billion for demolishing over 1,500 houses in the community.
 The lawyer representing the community, Barrister Declan Kemdirim, made this known while addressing journalists at the site of the demolished community today.

Barrister Kemdirim said the demolition was carried out at 3am on the evening of 16th of December 2013, by men of the Nigeria Police Force, who claimed to be the new owners of the land.
"The Baale of Atipo Rome and Mowo-Morogbo were served a notice of eviction on the evening of 14th December 2013. That notice stated they were encroaching on the land of the Nigeria Police Force located, at Agemowo/Agelado Mowo Badagry, and the eviction letter was signed by one Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) F.G. Ogundeji.


The letter was served to the wrong persons because the alleged police land was different from where the letter was served."
Barrister Kemdirim further explained that the community wrote back to the Police on the 15th of December 2013 to inform them the letter was wrongfully addressed, but in the early hours of 16th December 2013 the entire community was demolished.

"The Police is an organ of the Federal Government and we will not allow this barbaric act of injustice to the poor and voiceless. Our Clients have been rendered homeless overnight by a government that has no affordable housing policy for its citizens", he concluded.

The Chairman of the Community Development Association, CDA in Atinporomeh Chief Charles Adu, had lamented that over 250 men of the Nigeria Police, fully armed, had stormed the community with 4 Black Maria vehicles, 18 Hilux Pick-up Vans and 15 bulldozers led by the Area Commander, Area K Police Command Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Osun Ekpo. 

Chief Adu said residents were not allowed to salvage any property from their homes before it was demolished, and that those who protested were beaten up and detained for two days before they were released.

He appealed to Governor Babatunde Fashola to ensure justice in this inhuman act meted on them by the Nigeria Police Force. Barrister Kemdirim added that so far two house owners have died due to shock as a result of the demolition of their houses.

"It is very sad and unfortunate that this is happening in a country that claims to practice democracy. We have never seen such actions occur before even in the worst military dictatorship" he added.

Photo Credit: Augustina Armstrong-Ogbonna via Sahara Reporters