LAGOS: FESTAC RESIDENTS PLAN PROTEST OVER ALLEGED FHA FENCE DEMOLITION
Read Time:2 Minute, 26 Second
By:Tajudeen Aminat
Residents and stakeholders in Festac Town, Amuwo-Odofin Local Government Area of Lagos State, have announced plans to stage a peaceful protest at the headquarters of the Federal Housing Authority over the alleged demolition of parts of the estate’s perimeter fence.
The residents, under the platform of Bring Back Festac, alleged that the demolished section of the fence is located within a public reserve housing electricity and power infrastructure serving Festac Town and surrounding communities.
The planned protest followed an incident in which suspected officials of the FHA, accompanied by armed police officers, allegedly demolished a significant portion of the perimeter fence and removed the estate’s gateway.
The action has sparked concern among residents, who also accused the authorities of alleged unlawful extortion, selling off public utility spaces and approving developments they believe could undermine the interests of the community.
President of Bring Back Festac, Valentine Uduebo, urged residents and other stakeholders to remain peaceful and law-abiding, saying the organisation would announce a date for the demonstration.
Uduebo said the alleged action by the FHA was disturbing, claiming that the affected portion of land around the 3rd Avenue B Close roundabout had been sold.
He said, “It is alarming to see the FHA act in such a mannerless way. I can assure you 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 who spoke on the development expressed concern over the scale of the alleged demolition, claiming that the exercise also affected the estate’s gateway, lighting infrastructure and other installations.
He alleged that a large number of police officers accompanied the FHA officials during the operation.
“They came here in numbers. I saw three buses, all filled with policemen, armed. They have the FHA officials in them. Look at the fence. This is the area where they have done this. They broke the entire fence. In this area, they broke almost more than 80 per cent of the wall,” he said.
The resident insisted that the demolished structure was not newly constructed, noting that the fence had been in existence before the incident.
“There was a fence here before. This one that is being removed, we didn’t just put it. It was an existing fence here before. Whatever way we need to act, we have talked and we have met several times. We need to act. We have to please act,” he appealed.
The Bring Back Festac group also alleged that residents had been subjected to unlawful extortion and raised concerns over the alleged sale of public utility areas and approval of development projects.
The group stressed that the planned demonstration would remain peaceful and is intended to draw the attention of the FHA and other relevant authorities to the concerns of Festac residents.
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