Eze Innocent Okpara, who is the developer and manager of an estate that is currently under construction, has reached out to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu after the N3 billion property was pulled down at Maitama Hills, Mpape, in Bwari Area Council in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) of Abuja.
Okpara informed newsmen on Saturday in Abuja that the land in question was already in court, but expressed surprise that the FCT administration did not wait for the outcome of the case before taking action. He explained that the estate, which is named Woodcrest Estate, had already completed 3 units and had decked 4 units. They had 3 more units left to deck, and then the Development Permit Certificate (DpC) for the plaza would be completed.
Okpara expressed astonishment that the structure had been pulled down. He added that they had been refused entrance when they wished to see what was happening, but from what he could see, the completed structures were on the ground. The estate is 11000 square metres in Mpape 2, Maitama Hills, and there was already a court case before the demolition took place.
Okpara said that the case was instituted by one Majin, who is in contention with his boss over the land. The counsel for the developer, Tony Ogbulafor, also stated that the case was already in court and had been adjourned to May 15, 2024, as the claimant was absent in court on November 15, 2023.
Ogbulafor added that the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA) should call the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, to order, as the demolition was carried out while the case was still pending in court. Okpara also expressed concern that they were not allowed to remove any of their belongings, including household materials and chairs, from the destroyed structures.
