It is a moment of nightmare for residents of End-Cave Village Estate as Akwa Ibom State Government has commenced demolition of structures in the area.
End-Cave Village Estate is a residential area located between Catholic Church and former Play Ground at Brooks Street in Uyo.
The demolition which commenced today at about 11am witnessed shops and fences within the area brought down by bulldozer.
According to residents of the area, they were surprise to find Military men storm the village in a commando style with bulldozer taking down shops and fences of residential buildings.
They said attempts were made at demolishing residential buildings if not for their entreaties which made them leave but with a promise to return in the morning of Friday August 7, 2020 to complete their task.
According to Chief Francis Matthew, a Family Head in the area who said he is 78 years of age, noted that he has lived his entire life in the village even as same is with his forebears.
He insisted that they are ignorant of how government acquired the land as such information is not in their disposal.
Chief Matthew insisted that the most painful part to them is that there have been no notice before the demolition.
He added ” Before government acquire any land, they must pay compensation. That has never happened here. And to worsen the matter, for all the years we have lived here, you just wake up without notice, come and demolish our houses, where do you want us to go?
” We please call on government to have a human face else many may die because of shock and distress. If there is anything government want from us, they should come and see us and not act in this manner. ”
Contacted, the Commissioner for Lands and Water Resources, Arc. Ime Ekpo noted that the demolition has commenced because the properties are on government land.
He said ” That parcel of land belongs to government irrespective of how long it takes. That building that was housing Mr Biggs was part of Government Land when it was sold to one Mr Akan Okon and it was sold to Mr Biggs. What I’m saying in essence is that all those areas apart from Fire Service which was a forfeited property, every other land around there is government land.”
Arc Ekpo insisted that by law no demolition notice is to be given on an illegal structure.
He said those with questions should visit the Ministry for answers but warned that
demolition of structures considered illegal by Akwa Ibom State Government will continue until people learn to conform to town planning laws.
It could be recalled that the Ministry of Lands and Water Resources in December 2019 had demolished structures said to be developed on government land in Nung Oku Ibesikpo.
