Dan Nwomeh is the Senior Special Assistant on Media to Governor Peter Mbah of Enugu State.

Dan Nwomeh

CENTENARY CITY: ECTDA WAGING WAR ON CRIMINALITY AND ILLEGAL DEVELOPERS

The Enugu Capital Territory Development Authority (ECTDA) is aware of an attempt to twist its enforcement operation of Friday, January 19, 2024 out of context. The operation resulted in the demolition of a kidnappers’ den and some illegal structures, recovery of arms, surveillance, and communication equipment, as well as arrest of suspected kidnappers at the Centenary City, Enugu.

It is apposite to state that the action of the ECTDA in Centenary City is Rule of Law at work. At ECTDA, we observe the rule of law.

The ECTDA Law prohibits carrying out any development or municipal service within the Capital Territory without the written approval of the Authority. For the avoidance of doubts, Section 13 (1) of the Enugu Capital Territory Development Authority Law, 2009, provides: “Notwithstanding the provisions of any other law, as from the commencement of this Law, no person or body shall carry out any development or municipal service within the Capital Territory, unless such development or municipal service has been approved in writing by the Authority.”

However, whereas the current ECTDA leadership is determined to stop unauthorised developments and carry on with the urban masterplan restoration and renewal process, including those initiated by successive administrations, we took the initiative to mark the affected properties in October 2023, issuing notices that should accord the developers a window to regularise their titles/properties, if any. The video of a marked, but undemolished property trended by the developer on the social media falls into this category.

Meanwhile, it is to be made clear that the ECTDA operation of Friday, January 19, was based on an intelligence report about an illegal development/property that served as kidnappers’ den at the Centenary City. In the course of our due diligence, we also found out that the property, like many others at Centenary City, had no title or approval from the appropriate authorities.

Although the building was not fully completed, the criminals had already mounted sophisticated surveillance equipment such as CCTV cameras, PTZ cameras, in addition to about two dozens of mobile phones denoting the dangerous level of sophistication.

As some of the videos already in public domain clearly show, we made some chilling discoveries on storming the property with security operatives, including several guns and suspected kidnappers, whom the security agents were able to apprehend.
For emphasis, even though the notices had since expired, no unapproved but completed or occupied building was demolished during the exercise by ECTDA. We are still calling on the developers to do the right thing.

Nevertheless, we are determined to stamp out the culture of distorting Enugu municipality masterplan and shall not allow any development that contravenes the law or serves as hideout for criminals. Therefore, we shall not succumb to the rule of blackmail, including recycling and trending of videos of past demolitions.

Rt. Hon. Uche Anya
Executive Chairman, ECTDA
Dated: January 20, 2024

Dan Nwomeh

Chibuike Gabriel aka Untouchable Comedy is a comedian and social media influencer. His house has been marked for demolition and his neighbour's house has been demolished.



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=653X-LJyhxo?si=XCBh_jZz8Rh5iH71


Mcmanley Manley 📈📉 @ManleyMcmanley

Untouchable comedy's mansion has been marked for demolition by Enugu state government.

I've been so sad about it since. We've been trying to reach Enugu state governor to intervene.

Untouchable listened to us and refused to invest in Lagos and brought his investment home.

https://twitter.com/ManleyMcmanley/status/1748446114557096428

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GD6xY2vK2sg?si=Zhc1JmIS85APbHwH

COALCITY CONNECT @Coal__City

Early mor mor today, Police Vehicles carrying heavily armed policemen oversaw the demolition of some buildings, shanties, and container shops set up by roadside traders along Centenary City Enugu

Those who arrived on time managed to move their goods and property's.

The reason for the demolition is uncertain.

Be rest assured that you'd hear it from us once we have full details of it 😌

Click on this link to see a video of bulldozers, police vehicles and some of the demolished buildings. https://twitter.com/Coal__City/status/1748370255355789372

I'm curious, didn't these people get approval plan from the respected government agencies before they started building?

All this just seem far-fetched, because if one got the necessary approval and the government is now demolishing, then something is wrong somewhere....

If I were these people, whoever singed those documents for approval to construct, I'll look for them, and make them feel my pain.

Enugu state government are right in this case. Its the fault of the land buyers.

Chude Nnamdi @chude__

Why is the Enugu state government destroying houses and properties in Centenary City Enugu?

Why the short notice? Was there due compensation? What is going on?

naptu2:
Chude Nnamdi @chude__

They were warned since April 2023.

COALCITY CONNECT @Coal__City

Yesterday, we brought you a report that heavily armed policemen oversaw the demolition of some buildings and other structures along Centenary City Enugu.

The SSA to the Gov on media has updated ndi Enugu on the incident and what the state govt intends to do.

According to him, "Any property built without a proper title as well as required regulatory approval stands the risk of demolition, especially where there’s a violation of existing master plan and/or valid court order to that effect..." (see slide 2)

Meanwhile, in 2023, the Enugu state govt planned to demolish over 200 houses in the centenary estate in obedience to a court judgement.

The ECTDA, as of then, said that they were given notice to vacate, but they refused.

Be rest assured that we will drop another update once there's a new development.

https://twitter.com/Coal__City/status/1748662284807757969

Maazị Chukwüdị @Franklef9

Your first few months should be to win the hearts of the people not to cause more pain.

I mean, together with the circumstances surrounding your election, you should be doing people oriented projects without being told.

Anyway, who I be kwanu ?

https://twitter.com/Franklef9/status/1748677621397786925


Ikemba Zaza 🦁🐾 @_ikemba

Very pathetic development by the state government

https://twitter.com/_ikemba/status/1748685390846837240

why will the Government wage war against their very own Developers?


make Developers no Gree

Nawa.. it has red

"Residents cry out" is a normal thing in Nigeria and yet nothing will be done about it, they will only cry and cry and go back home.

Naptu2 created this thread to mock igbos. If seun is truly serious about his stance on tribalism on nairaland, he has to understand that there are people like Naptu2 and FreeStuffsNG who drape their tribal sentiments in sarcasm and passive aggression. They too have to be stopped.

It's the fault of Lagos State govt

With the level of hardship in the land, why will a sensible Government still be destroying buildings?

O I said sensible Government, not this agbaya, olodo Nigeria government.

MrPOTUS:
It's the fault of Lagos State govt

Exactly

*Politeness*
Other countries have "press secretary" or "spokesperson", in Nigeria it is "Senior Special Assistant on Media and communications"!

Crime doesn't have a tribe

This one never even reach one year for office, e don dey demolish properties. 😡😡😡😡

Why is the Yoruba governor demolition people's house?

Where does he want them to go to? LAGOS?

Ok‼️ it RAINS too in Enugu, nothing like "its ethnic things"

This must have been.... Motivated

We move

Y

Era of demolitions

Emeskhalifa:
Why is the Yoruba governor demolition people's house?

Where does he want them to go to? LAGOS?

Don't try to be silly by half

successmatters:
Enugu state government are right in this case. Its the fault of the land buyers.

who now sold the land to the land buyers?

RingRoadCartel:
Naptu2 created this thread to mock igbos. If seun is truly serious about his stance on tribalism on nairaland, he has to understand that there are people like Naptu2 and FreeStuffsNG who drape their tribal sentiments in sarcasm and passive aggression. They too have to be stopped.

He created this news of demolition?

Where is Peter Obi?

If it were in Lagos, the hypocrite would have been seen everywhere condemning the action of the government.