The Enugu State Capital Territory Development Authority on Friday began the demolition of a residential building belonging to an architect John Jerry Emejulu, Channels Television can confirm.

Emejulu had earlier demolished part of the Enugu Airport fence claiming ownership of a portion of the land.

Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika, on Thursday, said Mr Emejulu, accompanied by hundreds of armed thugs and bulldozers, had demolished up to 2km of the Enugu airport fence before the Nigerian Air Force and Police intervened to arrest the situation.

“This is certainly unfortunate, unbecoming,” Sirika said during a visit to the airport on Thursday. “Emejulu has done his best. But in doing his best, he has given the opportunity to government to show how not to wilfully destroy public assets belonging to 200 million people. It’s totally unacceptable.”

Sirika stressed that the airport fence demolition was carried out when President Muhammadu Buhari was devoting large amounts to the nation’s infrastructure, including the Enugu airport, which he noted had been abandoned for decades.

“Without hesitation, Mr President provided the funding” to revive the airport, Sirika said, but a “cantankerous, cranky individual” decided to disrupt the process.

There is a government in place and it is wrong time to test our resolve,” the Minister said, adding that Mr Emejulu had threatened to destroy more properties within the airport but was only stopped by the swift intervention of security forces.

“I am sure he will regret this,” Sirika said. “And this is an opportunity for the government to show that no one can take the law into his hands and wilfully destroy national assets.

“We will not forgive him. The Chief of Air Staff, the Inspector General of Police and the Director-General of DSS will be directed to do the needful and bring him to book.

“For emphasis, airports are national security assets and we are determined to protect them.”