Group petitions police commission over property demolition
An Enugu-based human rights body, the Civil Rights Realization and Advancement Network (CRRAN), has petitioned the Police Service Commission over demolition of some property in Enugu, reportedly by the police, in collaboration with the chairman, Enugu East Local Government Area of Enugu State, Cornelius Nnaji.
Nnaji was alleged to have instigated the police to supervise the demolition of property of residents still under development at Airport Road, under the pretense that they were used as hideout by kidnappers.
Entitled: “Unlawful demolition and vandalization of properties belonging to innocent citizens by policemen from anti-kidnapping base, Enugu, at the instigation of chairman, Enugu East Local Government and other persons,” the petition was dated August 30, 2015.
But when contacted, Nnaji said he was ignorant of the demolition exercise, adding that the story was strange to him.
Said Nnaji: “I am not aware of this. I have nothing to do with this. Let them produce the authority given by me for the alleged demolition. It is confusing to me because I don’t have anything to do with them. I am not aware of the property or where the property is destroyed. They should look for people who demolished their property.”
The Police Public Relations Officer in Enugu State, Ebere Amaraizu, also denied knowledge of police participation in the demolition exercise, saying: “I am hearing this for the first time. But we shall try and investigate this. I will inquire to know exactly what happened.”
The CRRAN in the petition signed by its President, Olu Omotayo, said the alleged act was committed in the early hours of August 8th by heavily armed policemen drawn from the anti-kidnap division.
The petition partly read: “We write to you in respect of the above-mentioned matter on behalf of Messrs Franklin Iwunze and Bede Chigozie Anyanwu who are property owners at Airport Road Layout, Phase V, off Emene Old Road, Enugu. The duo are among other property owners who had their properties demolished by bulldozers brought in by Mr. Cornelius Nnaji, the Chairman of Enugu East Local Government Area and some other persons with the full protection and active participation of gun wielding policemen from the Anti-Kidnapping Base Enugu.”
CRRAN, which wondered when it became part of the duty of the police to be used to supervise the demolition of property belonging to people without a court order, called for investigation on the matter, with a view to bringing to book the perpetrators of the crime.