By Chukwuka Ugokwe
The Ogbo family members, Umuasele village, Onitsha, Anambra State have protested encroachment on the landed property that housed the demolished defunct political party located along Niger Street, Fegge Onitsha.
There had been a pending court matter between Ogbo family of Umuassele village Onitsha and National Inland Waterways Authority, (NIWA), over ownership of the landed property at a Federal High court sitting in Awka, suit No FHC/AWK/CS/2020.
The aggrieved family members, some of who wore yellow aprons for easy identification, during the protest pasted ‘caveat emptor’, notice at the iron gate of perimeter fence of the facility.
Addressing newsmen on behalf of the protesters, Barr. Onyibor Okagbue told newsmen that nobody had the right to encroachment on the property since the matter is in court.
He said, “Nobody is expected to meddle in a matter that is in court. What we have come here to do is to bring to the notice of pendency of the matter in court to trespassers.
“It is the caveat emptor which we advertised in one of the national dailies that we pasted on the property. A case that has been pending in court for the past six years.
“If you feel you have right title then you go to court to ventilate it and not to encroach on the matter that has been pending in court.”
It would also be recalled that occupants of the property protested their ejection from the party house by Federal Government, through Golden Crown Consult Nigeria limited, based in Asaba, Delta State.
According to the quit notice served on the tenants, the property has been leased out to a certain businessman by the federal government through Golden Crown Consult Nigeria Ltd at the cost of #37,612,978.00
The occupants, mostly police personnel and few civilians confirmed the ejection notice but lamented the short timeframe of two weeks and pleaded they should be given up to three months or better still, end of the year.
They admitted receiving N300,000 per occupant as compensation to enable them look for alternative place and finance such apartments they might have found.
The federal government lease offer to Golden Crown Consult Nigeria Ltd partly read: “The Presidency. Implementation committee of the white paper on the commission of inquiry into the alienation of Federal Government landed property”.
“Re : Offer of a leasehold interest in Federal Government landed property in the state’s Defunct political office building at Niger street, Fegge, Onitsha South LGA, Anambra state. Dilapidated and abandoned political office building. N37,612,978.00.
“Further to your expression of interest to take up a leasehold interest in the above mentioned property (hereinafter refered to as the FGN), together with all appurtenances, rights of way, easements and privileges related thereto.
“We are pleased to inform you that Mr President has graciously approved that you should be offered a lease of the property on as is basis at the stipulated price (hereinafter refered to as the consideration)”.
