Gate House Demolition: Residents, Shop Owners Seek FG, International Community Intervention
It
was a sad, rancorous and emotional atmosphere when some so-called
officials of the Director of Development Control, Federal Capital
Territory , Abuja came in their numbers with heavy duty Trucks and
bulldozers and brought down structures and the only access roads at the
Area 11 Shopping Mall, bringing untold hardship to shop owners and
motorist.
According to eyewitness who were at the scene of the
event, they said the development control officers came with armed men
after they refused to give them bribe to stop the perpetration and
illegal demolition.
According to them, they said even the Mr
President, Mohammedu Buhari can’t stop them from demolishing a mall
where hundreds of shop owners are dependent on.
The demolition of
the gate has rendered shop owners and buyers from easy accessibility to
the mall while causing serious gridlock around the area.
They
call on the president and other international community to come to their
aid to stop the anomalies as the building and the access roads are in
the original master plan documents which they presented to the press and
all those who are concern.
In a letter written to the The Commissioner of Police, Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Abuja dated 5th April, 2019
and
titled “Request For Swift Intervention Over The Illegal Demolition Of
Gate House And Permanent Closure Of A Government Approved Access Road
Located At Area11 Shopping Mall” they demanded for the invitation of the
director of Development Control of Federal Capital Territory under
Abuja Metropolitan Management Council for fragrant disobedience to the
master plan of FCT and violation of the provision of the 1999
constitution of the Federal Republic Of Nigeria (as amended) on freedom
of movement of occupants of area 11 shopping mall.
The later also
urged the police to be swift to guide against breakdown of law and
order, if action is not taken to ameliorate the sufferings of the
occupants of the mall due to the demolition of police post/gate house
and permanent closure of a government approved access road to the mall
by the director of development control without due process.
They
also want the Police and other agencies to compel the director of
development control to immidiately rebuild the mall security post and
open the only government approved access road to the mall to avoid
breakdown of law and order.
In an interview with Clement
Chukwuemeka Esq, he explained that as the Solicitors to Area 11
Property Development Company Limited and Registered Trustees of Area 11
Mall Shop Owners and Occupiers Association want the original matter plan
to be restored and compensation made to the people to quench the untold
hardship they have endured through out this time.
“It is our
firm instruction that Our Clients holds the Right of Occupancy in
respect of Plot 849, Ahmadu Bello Way, Garki Abuja by Virtue of
Certificate of Occupancy No. 1ae0w-b8dfz-71afr-115b2-20 issue by the
Hon. Minister of Federal Capital Territory on the 9th Day of May, 2007
with File No. Misc 83117, herein attached and marked as ANNEXURE “A”.
”
It is our Clients further instruction that the said plot 849 was fully
developed in strict compliance with the approved building plan which was
lawfully and dutifully monitored and /or supervised till the total
completion of the structures therein with the access Road through the
Ahmadu Bello Way same as the Police Cantonment Entrance gate. A copy of
the said approved building plan by the same development control is
hereby attached and marked as ANNEXURE “B”.
“That the said Plot
849 which is now developed, was commissioned by the then President
Olusegun Obasanjo in the Year 2006 and known now as Area 11 Shopping
Mall (Before Efab Mall) was legally and officially approved by the
concerned FCT Agency to be accessed through Ahmadu Bello Way, ” he
explained.
He further added “That the said Area 11 Shopping Mall
and its access road have succeeded several Directors of Development
Control of FCT, it has been, and presently housing many shops including
Two commercial banks of repute, law offices, Eye Clinic Centre, Two (2)
Pharmacies, Bureau de changes, etc have been operating since completion
with access road through the Ahmadu Bello Way, without hindrance of any
sort.
“Sir, it was with impunity that men and security officers
hiding under the instruction of the minister which they boasted thus
“the minister sent us to demolish and Restore master plan of FCT that no
man including the President can stop us from carrying out the order of
the Minister”, that on the 2/4/19, they demolished the Mall Gate House,
housing our posted police personnel and permanently closed the only
access road approved by same Government Agency, and thus causing great
hardships to all users of the mall. This action brought serious stir and
security risk to the only alternative route known as Gwarjo Close which
by its name is a close and not officially or in any way designed to
access the biggest mall in FCT,” he pointed out.
He further
explained that ” It may shock you to note that an amicable resolution
of same issue was reached through the invitation to meetings of 24th May
2016 and 3rd June 2016, wherein Hamza, (then Director, Development
Control) and Shehu Abubakar (then Deputy Director Monitoring and
Enforcement) and two (2) other staff of Development Control, including
some Trustees of the Shopping Mall, were in attendance and the issue was
resolved and the closed access road was re-opened later in the
afternoon of 3rd June, 2016 after appreciating the herein attached
documents. Since then we have been operating without hitches until 2nd
April 2019, when we shockingly witnessed this brazen lawlessness
exhibited by the referral men of the agency and security officers who
claimed acting on instructions of the minister of FCT and the security
chiefs in FCT.
“It is in the light of the foregoing that we
respectfully request from your noble office to compel the Director of
Development Control to rebuild the demolished Gate House/police post and
immediately open the closed only access road to the mall within 24
hours of receiving this passionate request in the interest of safety,
peace and justice to the occupants of the mall,” he concluded.
In
the same vein, a similar letter to the Director General, Department of
State Services (DSS), Asokoro, FCT – Abuja dated 5th April, 2019 and the
Director, Abuja Metropolitan Management Council, Abuja including the
Honourable Minister, Federal Capital Territory, FCT,
Abuja were sent and acknowledged respectively to inform them on the development.
It
is believed that soon normalcy would be restored as the change promised
by President Mohammad Buhari would be difficult to uphold when office
holders misuse their powers.
Share your thoughts