Nsit Atai Filling Station demolition: Ministry’s document, Lawyer indict Work Commissioner
…Valuation not concluded when he ordered for demolition
An official document leaked to the media has confirmed that the Commissioner for Works and Fire Service in Akwa Ibom State, Prof. Eno Ibanga admitted that full valuation of a filling station, Kijobee Nigeria Limited in Nsit Atai Local Government Area, was not done when he ordered for its demolition without compensation.
The document which is a letter dated April 1, 2021, signed by one Barr. Iniobong M. George, on behalf of the Commissioner, had directed the property owner, Apostle Joseph Peter Eyoh, via his lawyer, Barr. E. I. Ekanem, to come for a cheque of 9 million Naira payment even when full valuation was not done.
The revaluation was agreed upon by the ministry and the property owner, but the later ordered the demolition before the exercise was carried out.
“Please, the recent discussion with the Commissioner for Works in respect of revaluation of some property which were not captured is seriously considered and when the cheque is ready, your attention shall be sought,” part of the letter reads.
The letter captioned “Collection of Compensation Money in Respect of Filling Station at No. 5 Odot Road, Ndot Ikot Itie Udung”, was duly acknowledged by the property owner.
The property owner, a 70 year old man married to two wives and 15 children, had approach the Akwa Ibom State High Court in Uyo to seek redress over the demolition.
The demolition exercise occurred on April 9, 2021, and was personally supervised by Prof Eno Ibanga guarded by about 20 security operatives.
The filling station was pulled down alongside its fence, office equipment, diesel generating set, three pumps, three underground tanks and other items.
The victim prays the court to award him 100 Million Naira as damages.
His Statement of Claim gave a breakdown of the damages: “Value of Building, N50m; Value of 3 Pumps, N6,000,000 at N2,000,000 each; 3 Underground Tanks, N30m; Perkins Diesel Generator, N10m; Office equipment, N850,000; Fence, N5m; 2 Million Naira monthly from September 2019 until judgment is delivered for loss of earnings; N16,830,000cost of 99,000 litres of petrol lost in 3 underground tanks at #170 per litres, N10 million as Cost of Action.”
A family source of the property owner reliably told our correspondent that the Commissioner has now barred members of the family from reaching via on call and WhatsApp platform by blocking them on those platforms.
Available information also has it that the valuer hired by the family was recently tricked by the ministry to tender original valuation documents to the ministry without authorization of the property owner. The move was however futile due to non cooperation of the owner.
The Works/ Fire Service Commissioner had declined commenting on the matter saying it would amount to subjudice since the case is in court.
