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Uyo Community, Devt Authority Bicker Over Demolition Exercise

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Idongesit Ashameri Uyo

Hundreds of occupants of the over 60 households rendered homeless following the demolition of their houses Uyo Capital City Development Authority (UCCDA) have cried out that their ancestral land was being taken away without compensation.

The victims were sacked from their houses located near one of the properties of the University of Uyo, in Atai Obio Offot on

July 9, 2015. Some of the affected landlords are reported to have died from the shock.

Mr Emmanuel Ebong, an indigene said that the community had filed a case of forceful seizure of land without compensation in court last year against the State Government, UCCDA and Ministry of Lands and Housing for acquiring their land without compensation.

Ebong who represented Atai Obio Offot said that UCCDA which claimed to have ceded the land to University of Uyo, was unable to present certificate of acquisition or certificate of occupancy during the trial.

Barrister Aniefiok Ekengson, counsel to Mr Ebong told Daily independent in a telephone interview that his clients were shocked by the wanton destruction of property worth Billions of naira carried out by UCCDA while the case was still in court.

Although the state government had said during the hearing that it compensated the communities accordingly, Chief Augustin Etoakpa, the unit head of Atai Obio Offot, said that while the Akwa Ibom State Government compensated Usse Offot and Idoro Ebio, it left out Atai Obio Offot. He said that under the circumstances, his village had no reason to let go of their ancestral land.

When contacted on phone, Prof. Trenchard Ibia, the Deputy Vice Chancellor (DVC), University of Uyo admitted that Uniuyo engaged UCCDA to clear the said land for their use. He said university of Uyo is not liable for any compensation since the land was given to them by government.

The University Don who could not ascertain the certification of acquisition of the land declined further interrogation on the said destruction, adding that “if UCCDA knew the case was in court, the agency should have known what to do and what not to do.” He also denied knowledge of the court case.

It could be recalled that same Chief Umana, was earlier in the year reported on NTA to have called on the government to come and pay compensation for the said land in contention.

Daily Independent also recalls that the State Deputy Governor, Mr Moses Ekpo, during a recent commissioning of hostel for medical student of the University of Uyo in Atai Obio Offot community, invited elders of the community for a meeting in his office following bitter complain of forceful seizure of land without compensation. He had promised to continue to mediate between the university and her host communities until resolution was reached.

The post Uyo Community, Devt Authority Bicker Over Demolition Exercise appeared first on Daily Independent, Nigerian Newspaper.


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