Chief Nicholas Ukachukwu, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the SNECOU Group Limited, has expressed outrage over the demolition of his investment on 214 hectares of land in the Asokoro district of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. Ukachukwu accused the FCT Minister, Mr. Nyesom Wike, of ordering the demolition without any court order, despite two pending valid court orders restraining the minister and the FCT administration from tampering with the property.
According to reporters, the demolition took place on Wednesday, with heavily armed security operatives, including soldiers, policemen, and personnel of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC). Some of the buildings had reached the window level, and the fence were pulled down, leaving behind a heap of rubble after about six hours.
In an interview with AIT, Ukachukwu called on President Bola Tinubu to intervene and save the multi-million-naira investment in the property. He alleged that, the demolition was motivated by tribal sentiments, as the property was owned by an Igbo man, rather than any violation of the law.
Ukachukwu maintained that all legal titles had been obtained before commencing development on the property, including ministerial approvals and letters from the immediate past FCT Minister, Mohammed Musa Bello.
Ukachukwu also claimed that, during a meeting with Wike, the minister expressed dissatisfaction with an Igbo man owning the land and subsequently ordered the demolition without a court order. He emphasized that, the action of the minister contradicted two pending court orders restraining any action by the FCT on the land.
Reacting to the allegations, the spokesman for the FCT Administration, Mr. Tony Ogunleye, stated that, he had no information about the demolition. Ogunleye emphasized that the FCT Administration does not demolish properties based on tribe, religion, or region, but rather on violations of the Land Use Act. He pledged to investigate the matter further.
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