From CHARLES ONYEKWERE, ABAKALIKI
Tension is brewing in Isiophumini Ishieke, Mbeke Autonomous Community in Ebonyi Local Government Area, following allegations of unlawful demolition of residential buildings and market stalls reportedly linked to the Deputy Chief Whip of the Senate, Senator Onyekachi Nwebonyi.
In a press statement issued yesterday, aggrieved residents disclosed that they have formally petitioned relevant authorities over what they described as threat to lives, forced eviction and the demolition of homes and shops in connection with Senator Nwebonyi`s proposed remodelling of Nwori Isiophumini Ishieke Market.
According to the statement, copies of the petition were addressed to Governor Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru; president of the Senate; Inspector-General of Police; IGP, director-general of the Department of State Services; and the National Human Rights Commission.
The community accused Nwebonyi, who is currently representing Ebonyi North Senatorial District, of alleged intimidation and issuing directives compelling residents to vacate their ancestral homes in anticipation of demolition.
The statement, jointly signed by Louis Nwangbo, Comrade Ben Nome, Chief Joe Igwe, Engr Ikechukwu Agah and Engr Sunday Nwokum, noted that residents living around Nwori Market have been instructed to relinquish their properties under threat of forceful eviction.
They alleged that demolition of residential houses and market shops has commenced without adherence to lawful acquisition procedures.
The residents contended that no public notice, compensation framework, court order or evidence of statutory compliance has been presented to the affected property owners.
According to the petitioners, the proposed remodelling project has neither undergone transparent community consultation nor subjected to a comprehensive social and environmental impact assessment.
“We are not opposed to development, but we reject any process that undermines constitutional safeguards, threatens livelihoods and destabilises communal peace.”
Citing Sections 43 and 44 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended), the residents maintained that citizens rights to acquire and own immovable property are constitutionally guaranteed.
They argued that compulsory acquisition must satisfy strict legal conditions, including lawful authority, overriding public purpose, prompt payment of compensation and access to judicial redress.
They also referenced the Land Use Act of 1978, noting that the revocation of statutory or customary rights of occupancy rests exclusively with the governor and must be exercised in the overriding public interest, subject to proper notice and compensation.
The community leaders warned that the alleged actions have generated palpable anxiety, heightening fears of unrest if the situation is not urgently addressed.
They expressed concern that forced displacement could cripple small-scale enterprises, uproot families from ancestral homes and exacerbate the prevailing economic hardship.
“The tension being generated by these actions is capable of disrupting socio-economic stability and triggering avoidable conflict,” the statement added.
Among their demands, the residents called for immediate and impartial investigation into the allegations of intimidation; suspension of any demolition or eviction pending lawful review; firm assurances that constitutional and statutory procedures will be strictly observed; possible intervention by the leadership of the National Assembly; deployment of security agencies to maintain public order; and facilitation of a transparent stakeholders dialogue involving community representatives and relevant government authorities.
In a strongly worded section of the petition, the residents declared their opposition to the proposed remodelling of Nwori Market, urging that available public funds be redirected toward rural road construction and other critical social infrastructure.
They emphasised that the market is government’s property and not subject to individual appropriation.
“We will lawfully resist any attempt to dispossess us of our homes or appropriate our lands under the guise of development, thereby compounding our socio-economic hardship,” the statement read.
While reaffirming their commitment to peace and lawful engagement, the community stressed that no elected official possesses the authority to dispossess citizens of property outside the framework of constitutional and statutory provisions.
All efforts made to reach Nwebonyi on the development as at press time, was unsuccessful.
But when contacted, the Special Assistant to the Deputy Senate Chief Whip on Media and Publicity, Romanus Ozioko, told Aljazirah Weekend to give him 30 minutes to respond to the allegations, but did not do so at the time of filling this report.
Observers noted that the reaction of the Ebonyi State government and relevant federal authorities will be pivotal in difusing tensions and preserving stability in the affected community.
