By Omolara Akintoye
Landlords and residents of Unity Estate, Eneka in Obio Akpor Local Government of Rivers State have raised alarm over the unlawful and inhumane destruction of houses and landed properties in Unity Estate, Eneka by hoodlums and land grabbers.
The Landlords and residents are calling on the Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara and the Chairman of Obio/Akpor Local Government Area, Ambassador Chijoke Ihunwo to urgently come to their rescue and take immediate action against the hoodlums who claimed to be sent by the LGA Chairman, Ambassador Ihunwo, to grab their lands and property.
Landlords and tenants of Unity Estate Eneka properties destroyed
In the early hours of Wednesday 19th February, 2025, heavily armed thugs, accompanied by bulldozers, stormed Unity Estate, Eneka.
They forcefully demolished houses, pulled down fences, and physically assaulted landlords, claiming they were enforcing a court judgment in favor of the Rumunduru community against the Eneka community.
However, no court judgment was ever served to the affected landlords or tenants before the violent eviction.
Many of the affected homeowners have lived on their land for 20 to 30 years; and have now been rendered homeless overnight without due process.
To worsen the matter, residents were prevented from recording videos of the incidents, raising serious concerns about the legality of the operation.
They stated, “If this was a lawful process, why was it carried out in secret and with violence?”
Furthermore, landlords and tenants of Unity Estate, Eneka, were mandated to pay N300,000 each as “registration money” and instructed to bring the payment in cash as bank transfers were not allowed which clearly suggests an extortion scheme under the guise of legal enforcement.
“We urgently call on Governor Siminalayi Fubara to intervene immediately and put an end to this injustice.”
“We appeal that the Rivers State Government investigates this unlawful demolition and ensure justice is served.”
Though reports emanated yesterday , where a youth leader debunked the involvement of the local government chairman in the illegal exercise, we appeal to the Chairman of Obio/Akpor Local Government Area to speedily fish out the persons involved in the destruction and land grabbing at the Unity Estate in Eneka and ensure their plans to soil his reputation through their actions do not succeed.
They added, “We call on Well-meaning Nigerians, human rights organizations, and the media to lend their voices and expose this oppression. We demand justice for those whose homes have been destroyed and whose lands have been forcefully taken without due process.”
