By Pamela Eboh Awka

Anambra State government on Wednesday demolished the newly constructed building, a duplex, belonging to a human rights activist, Mr Osita Obi.

The building was constructed at the Executive Business District area of Awka, near the abandoned Government House.

Raising the alarm over the destruction, Obi expressed pain that he was not even informed of the intended destruction, so that he would take away some needed items in the house.

He told journalists that: “My pain is not that the house was demolished, after all, government once told us that the area has been acquired by it, and that the houses built there will be demolished.

“My pain is that when they wanted to demolish it, they didn’t as little as notify us, so that we can remove some useful items in the house. My wife has been in tears since after the demolition. She has been crying ceaselessly.

“That house was built by my wife, even one kobo of mine did not go into it. My wife is a retiree from a federal government agency, and she used her life saving and retirement fund to buy the land and also construct the building. The land was very legally acquired, and even my building plan was approved by government.

“I have heard that government has said it will pay us compensation as it was captured in the 2023 appropriation bill, but if they notified us, it would have helped us bear the shock of the demolition.

“Now they are telling me they will pay compensation, do they want to kill my wife, so that I will use the money they will pay me to bury her?” the rights activist asked rhetorically.

Information however has it that Awka Capital Territory Development Agency has reached out to the activist to assure him that he would get compensation for the demolished building.

Obi who is the Coordinator of Anambra Keke and Shuttle Drivers Union has been in the forefront of championing the cause of tricycle riders in the state, including engaging government, for reduction of taxes paid by the operators.

He was the former Coordinator of Movement for the Conduct of Local Government Election in Anambra State.

While holding the position as a local government Coordinator during the Peter Obi and Willie Obiano administrations, he championed the crusade on the non-conduct of local government elections in the state.

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