A residential building belonging to one architect John Jerry Emejulu who reportedly led thugs to demolished some part of Enugu Airport fence, has been demolished.
The architect who is claiming ownership of a portion of the land the fence was built on, led hundreds of armed thugs and bulldozers who demolished up to 2km of the Enugu airport fence on Thursday August 13, before the Nigerian Air Force and Police intervened.
His private property which was demolished barely 24 hours after, is situated along Eziokwe street off Nike Lake road, Trans Ekulu, Enugu.
Chairman of Enugu Capital Territory Development Authority (ECTDA), Dr Josef Onoh who was at the site to supervise the demolition said they a obtained court order to demolish the duplex.
Onoh denied that the action was in reprisal to Emejulu’s demolition of the airport fence being constructed as part of the airport rehabilitation. He disclosed that the property stood on waterway and needed to give way.
Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika who reacted to the development had said 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.
Sirika said;
“This is certainly unfortunate, unbecoming. 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.
“Without hesitation, Mr President provided the funding to revive the airport 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. 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. 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.”
