The Initiative Against Human Rights Abuse and Torture (INAHURAT) has defended the demolition of structures located at Plots 1 and 2, No. 65 Abakaliki Road, GRA, Enugu, insisting that the exercise was carried out legally in compliance with a subsisting order of the Federal High Court.
Addressing journalists in Enugu, the Director of Legal Services of INAHURAT, Chief Maxwell C. Opara, who spoke on behalf of the organisation’s clients, Chymax Homes Limited and another company, dismissed allegations by the Managing Director of New Berries Park, Mr. Ikenna Abanaonu, that the demolition was unlawful.
Opara described reports portraying the exercise as illegal as false and misleading, maintaining that the operation followed due legal process and was supervised by Federal High Court bailiffs, officials of the Nigeria Police Force, and representatives of the Office of the Attorney General of the Federation.
According to him, the demolition was executed in line with a Federal High Court order directing the Federal Housing Authority (FHA) to recover properties under illegal occupation.
He explained that the disputed property was lawfully allocated to INAHURAT’s clients by the Federal Housing Authority in 2022 after acquisition from the original allottees and that all statutory requirements were fulfilled.
Opara alleged that despite repeated notices from the FHA, Mr. Abanaonu unlawfully occupied the property and commenced construction. He further claimed that court enforcement notices were removed from the site and that attempts were made to obstruct officials carrying out the court order.
He also alleged that following the demolition, construction resumed on the property in defiance of the court’s directive, describing the action as contempt of court.
INAHURAT called on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to intensify investigations into alleged document forgery linked to the property dispute, while urging the Nigeria Police Force to prosecute anyone found guilty of obstructing lawful court processes.
The organisation appealed to the public to disregard what it described as misleading narratives surrounding the demolition and reaffirmed the importance of respecting the rule of law and court judgments.
