Residents and stakeholders in FESTAC Town, Amuwo-Odofin, Lagos State, organized under the group Bring Back FESTAC, are planning to protest at the Federal Housing Authority (FHA) headquarters in Abuja. They are upset about the demolition of part of a perimeter fence that protects a public reserve with power infrastructure for the estate and surrounding areas.
The residents claim that people believed to be FHA officials, along with armed policemen, recently tore down a big section of the fence and removed the estate's entrance. They also say that lights and other installations were taken away. They are worried about alleged extortion of residents and the selling or allocation of public utility spaces.
Valentine Uduebo, President of Bring Back FESTAC, told PUNCH Metro on Tuesday that the residents want a peaceful protest at the FHA headquarters to demand answers about what happened. Uduebo said, "Some persons alleged to be officials of the Federal Housing Authority, accompanied by armed policemen, recently pulled down a large section of the fence and removed the estate's gateway.
"It is not alarming to see FHA act in such a manner. We can assure ourselves that they have sold that portion of land at 3rd Avenue B Close roundabout. Let us remain calm and law-abiding. We shall propose a day to storm the FHA."
A resident shared a video with PUNCH Metro that showed the extent of the alleged demolition. The resident said that officials also took away the estate's entrance, lights, and other installations. He disputed claims that the demolished fence was newly built, saying it had been there for years.
He stated, "They came here in numbers. I saw three buses, all filled with armed policemen and FHA officials. They broke almost 80 percent of the wall.
"There was a fence here before. We didn’t just put it up. It was an existing fence. Whatever way we need to act, we have talked and met several times. We need to act."
The residents are also worried about the alleged selling or allocation of public utility spaces and the approval of building plans in areas they say are reserved for public infrastructure. They are calling for the FHA and other authorities to explain the status of the land and the reasons for the demolition.
On the other hand, the FHA rejected the residents' claims. They said the demolition happened because the structure did not follow regulations. FHA spokesperson Kenneth Chigelu told PUNCH Metro on Tuesday that the authority would not demolish anything without first issuing a warning and marking it for demolition.
"It is a contravention; we are not mad people. They must have served a contravention notice before the demolition. We don’t just demolish anything we see," Chigelu said.
He added that the demolition was done lawfully with police present. He insisted that the FHA has the right to enforce development regulations in Festac Town.
"We are taking back the estate. That is just the truth. We have every right to do what we did. When the authority finds a contravention somewhere, we will go and pull it down," he said.
Chigelu also claimed that the affected residents had been warned before the demolition.
"The authority must have sent a warning to them. The place must have been marked before we carry out any demolition. We don’t just wake up and start demolishing things. There is nothing illegal about it; they have been warned before the demolition," he added.
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