Protest In Enugu Over Govt’s Plan To Demolish Slums

Enugu State Governor, Sullivan Chime
Enugu State Governor, Sullivan Chime

Hundreds of Ugbo Okonkwo residents have kicked against plans by Enugu State Government to demolish houses in the area which it designated as a slum.

In a peaceful protest to make their grievances known, residents including widows and children marched through the Upper Chime dual carriageway displaying several placards, weeping and praying as they did.

Some of their placards read: “No slum in Ugbo Okonkwo, we acquire our land legitimately”, “No government has told us that we live in a slum”, “We are law-abiding citizens, we deserve a home”, “Your Excellency, we like the good work you are doing in Enugu State. Help us by stopping this demolition, give us time to develop our land”, “We have our title documents, we are not illegal occupants”, “The Lord is our shepherd” and “It is inhuman to evict us from the land we have occupied for over 100 years”, Vanguard reports.

Property owners and residents of Ugbo Okonkwo were on January 30 served notice to remove their property within seven days.

Officials of Enugu Capital Territory Development Authority, ECTDA, had in the notice warned that the houses, which were allegedly built without government’s approval, would be demolished if the seven days ultimatum was not adhered to.