Over 400 Delta Demolition Victims In Agony As 10 Die From Hardship, Distress

More than 400 people whose buildings were reportedly demolished in Anwai, near Asaba, within the Delta State capital territory, are in agony, with more than 10 affected persons said to have died since the exercise following hardship and emotional distress.

The affected property owners have appealed to Governor Sheriff Oborevwori to intervene in a protracted land dispute between Parkview Estates and Dennis Osadebay University (DOU), Asaba.

The property owners, under the aegis of Parkview Estates, Anwai, claimed their buildings were demolished on May 14, 2024, allegedly by the Delta State Taskforce on Recovery of Government Lands (DSTOROGL), despite pending legal proceedings and an alleged court injunction restraining further action on the disputed land.

An affected property owner, Mr Christian Nwaolisa, said he returned from northern Nigeria intending to settle in his home state, only to lose his building and residence despite obtaining a Certificate of Occupancy and building approval before development.

Speaking with journalists after proceedings at the High Court in Asaba, the Chairman of Parkview Estates, Chief Charles Ogbobe, described the demolition as “simply devastating.”

He lamented that the exercise destroyed valuable investments worth millions of naira, rendered families homeless and caused severe emotional and financial hardship.

Ogbobe said the disputed land, located in Musa Camp in Anwai and later renamed Ugbomanta by the Asagba of Asaba, was legitimately acquired from the Isieke community, which he said had documents establishing its ownership.

He explained that the dispute arose from competing ownership claims between the community and the state-owned university. According to him, the land was originally leased to Reverend Prior, a colonial administrator, in 1953 for 50 years, with the lease expiring in 2003.

“We never disputed the government’s right to own land, but we asked them to provide evidence of ownership,” Ogbobe said.

He added that the High Court had directed both parties to produce survey plans showing the boundaries of the disputed property.

Also speaking, the Vice-Chairman of Parkview Estates, Mr Samuel Onuwa David, alleged that the demolition was carried out before the expiration of the seven-day notice issued to occupants, despite residents’ efforts to obtain an injunction.

David, who said he lost a private school, a residential building and four buildings belonging to his relatives, noted that available documents indicated that the lease to the university expired in 1991.

“We are appealing to the state governor, as a father, to come to our aid. Let him compensate us for the houses that were demolished and give us back our land,” he pleaded.

Another affected property owner, Mr Chuks Okei, said he acquired his land directly from the community, conducted a survey and obtained government building approval before commencing construction in 2020.

He said he spent about three years developing the property before it was demolished.

The daughter of a deceased landlady, Grace Nwagbo, also recounted how the demolition allegedly contributed to her mother’s declining health and eventual death.

She said her mother was never the same after the demolition, adding that she became preoccupied with the loss, suffered elevated blood pressure and struggled to eat properly.

“Immediately after the demolition, my mum had never been herself again. She was always thinking, her blood pressure rose, she was not eating well. We were staying in an uncompleted house very close to the river until she died. It has not been easy for the children; in fact, we are scattered. My mum died early this year,” she lamented.

The affected residents urged Governor Oborevwori to investigate the circumstances surrounding the land dispute and the demolition, and ensure that justice is served.