Following the brutalization and demolition of building of Maxwell Okonkwo Ezechie by a Joint Team of the Delta State Police Command in conjunction with the State Ministry of Lands, Surveys and Urban Development, residents of the troubled Akwa-Ukwa Area in Okpanam near Asaba International Airport, Oshimili North Local Government Area of Delta State, witnessed another uncertainty when a duplex owned by a serving Police Officer in the State Command, Mr. Sydney Enumah was demolished.
Fresh Angle gathered that the land which the demolished building was erected belongs to Vanguard Newspapers.
According to some residents who spoke to Our Correspondent on condition of anonymity, they were blocked from going out and coming into the disputed land by heavy police presence during the demolition. They stressed that the action of the bulldozer operator alleged to be from the Delta State Ministry of Lands, Surveys and Urban Development and the policemen, attracted large crowd of people around the area and even passersby were asked to lie down. They were allegedly given the beating of their lives to scare them from exposing the information to members of the public.
Report says four (4) persons, including Maxwell Ezechie who claimed to have sold the land to the owner of the demolished building were arrested by the police numbering over ten (10).
Mr. Maxwell Ezechie told Fresh Angle in an interview that when he heard of the demolition, he accosted the policemen and Ministry Officials to know the reason for their action but he was chased away by the armed policemen and given the “worst beating of his life alongside his relatives who sustained serious bruises”, just as he noted that he “was arrested with the following persons: Epundu Kenechukwu (Bricklayer), Okafor Nwannedi (Owner of Block Industry), Lawi Ahmed (Labourer), Mr. Toafic (Site Engineer) and Chukwukanmadu Okolie” who were detained by men of the Delta State Anti Robbery Squad (SARS) while they were later released on bail.
Maxwell further pointed that some of their effects like GSM handsets are still with the police. He further explained that the land which the demolished building was erected has a court injunction from Akwuku-Igbo High Court with suit No: AKU/43/2012.
According to him, the disputed land was shared by late Pa. Cletus Dada Okolie Ezechie for his two sons. While Ezechie “inherited the right hand side of Akwa-Ukwa to the East where the land in dispute falls, Achi inherited the left hand side to the west, so it has stood to this date”.
He added, “government of Delta State cannot acquire the private property of Ezechie family and alienate it to Vanguard Newspapers, another private body”.
The bulldozer operator, who claimed to be a native of Issele-Azagba in Aniocha North Local Government Area of Delta State and did not disclose his identity, said he never had the intention of demolishing the building but “because of the continuous threats from the police officers he decided to carry out the job”.
Meanwhile, when Our Correspondent sent a text message to the Commissioner of Police, Mr. Ikechukwu Aduba and the Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Mr. Charles Muka on the demolition and arrest, the PPRO simply responded, “I will find out”.
It would be recalled that Fresh Angle had earlier reported that a young man in his mind 30s, Maxwell Okonkwor Ezechie was recently brutalized by a Joint Team of Delta State Police Command in conjunction with some staffers of Delta State Ministry of Lands, Surveys and Urban Development over the same disputed land.
Copyright: Fresh Angle International (www.freshangleng.com)
ISSN 2354 - 4104
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