An open letter to the honourable minister from the people of Ifesowapo-Irewolede in Ilorin, Kwara state

chika ebuzor

March 18, 2017 9:09 AM

As I write sir, the contractor handling the national housing project is currently on site, demolishing our fence and buildings.

Babatunde Fashola in a file photo in Lagos REUTERS/Akintunde Akinleye

Illegal Acquisition Of Our Landed Properties And Demolition Of Our Buildings For National Housing Project In Kwara State.

I write on behalf of the entire Ifesowapo-Irewolede of Osin Okanji community in Ilorin West Local Government of Kwara State to bring to your notice sir, the illegal acquisition and demolition of our buildings to pave way for the national housing scheme under your ministry.

As law abiding citizens, we are not in any way against your vision of providing affordable housing to Nigerians through the national housing project.

What we are against is the impunity with which the kwara state government through the DG of bureau of land is going about the whole matter.

As a lawyer yourself sir, you are aware that the law stipulates the procedure through which land can be acquired under the land use act as amended.

We have been existing as a community for almost a decade only for us to notice to our surprise, the movement of people who claim to be agents of the government last year surveying our community, and what followed was the opening of roads in our plots of land.

Just this year, January 26, 2017, to be precise, our buildings were marked for demolition. All efforts to seek clarification with the DG land bureau in Kwara state were rebuffed as he claimed the land had been acquired.

Up till now sir, there no notice of acquisition has been given to us, not to talk of paying due compensation as required by law.

In conclusion sir, it will be a great injustice to us as citizens of Nigeria for the government to demolish our houses and erect other residential houses on the same land.

Will this act solve the housing shortage you are working hard to address?

May God give you wisdom for prompt intervention sir.

CC: Alhaji Lai Mohammed

Honourable minister of information and culture.

CC: Hon. Razak Atunwa

Member, representing Asa/Ilorin West, Federal House of Representative.

This letter was sent in by:

Mr. Balogun Johnson

Secretary, Ifesowapo-Irewolede community, Osin Okanji, Kwara State

08077940982.

balogson77@gmail.com

chika ebuzor