Okonkwo Samuel
…as govt secured court order to demolish his property on water way.
By Eneh Victor Chiagozie
AIF Media
Something is happening in Enugu state. The federal govt is having a running battle with one Arch John J Emejulu who demolished about 2km perimeter fence of the Enugu International Airport.
The Airport which was shut down over a year ago for renovation is scheduled for reopening on August 30, 2020. But suddenly, one Arch Emejulu appeared from no where and began to pull down the perimeter fence of the airport.
This angered the federal government prompting the Aviation minister to rush down to Enugu to inspect the extent of damage. Addressing newsmen, the minister vowed that the FG will deal with Emejulu for destroying a national security asset.
However, Arch Emejulu on his part claimed that he bought the airport land from one family in Nike. It is unfortunate, some individuals in Nike have constituted themselves as frauds in selling and re-selling lands in the Enugu metropolis. They have become notorious in land grab and have likely duped Arch Emejulu and sold an airport land to him. For a family to have allegedly disposed off about 400 plots of land near an international airport is suspicious. Emejulu was deceived and he bought an airport land. He was duped.
Even if the land for instance does not belong to the airport, it situated in a flight zone and no house can be erected on it for landing safety and security of air space.
It is a pity that Emejulu appeared at a time all igbos are clamouring for the completion and reopening of the Enugu International Airport. It took the intervention of Igbo leaders led by the Southeast Governors Forum to get the President to approve 10 billion naira for the renovation of the airport.
The Aviation minister was visibly angry and has vowed that Emejulu will not go unpunished. The minister said Emejulu wilfully destroyed a national security asset belonging to over 200 million Nigerians.
The govt has discovered that a property of Emejulu situated along Eziokwe Street, off Nike Lake road, Enugu, stood on a water way and needed to give way for public safety and was yesterday demolished in compliance with a valid court order after it was duly served on the occupant of the house.
FG is taking the scheduled reopening of the Enugu International Airport seriously and work is continuously ongoing to meet the August 30 deadline. Sabotage from any quarter should not tolerated.
Enugu state had to shut down Orie Emene when the FG complained that the market has constituted a risk in the expansion work for the run way of the airport. Concerned govt agencies should launch an investigation on how a family in Nike purportedly sold the airport land to Emejulu to serve as deterrent to other notorious land grabbers within the area.
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