By Amos Aar
MANY business owners counted their losses in Makurdi, Benue State capital, following the demolition of structures along the route of the ongoing Makurdi-Otukpo-Enugu-9th Mile Road dualization project.
One of the affected persons, Mrs Rosemary Igbian, who sells food opposite United Bank of Africa (UBA), Wurukum, said she lost property worth ₦1 million to the exercise as her customers were still eating when the bulldozer arrived.
She explained that although she was aware of the planned demolition, she however did not expect it would happen so soon.
“I was notified earlier, but I thought it would take a longer time before they came here. Now everything is gone”, she lamented.
Another victim, Mr Akor Audu, who operates a transport company known as UNO Motors opposite First Bank, Wurukum, said the demolition took him by surprise and resulted in losses estimated at about ₦5 million.
“We were not notified at all. When they came the other day and cleared part of the place, we relaxed because we thought the road size was already enough for the dualization, only for them to return this morning and destroy everything,” Audu said, pointing at the wreckage of his metal container.
“When we constructed this container, it cost over ₦4.5 million. Look at the nature of the iron — everything is gone now,” he added.
The demolition, which stretched from UBA, Wurukum, to Kanshio, was supervised by the General Manager of the Benue State Urban Development Board (BSUDB), Mr Ternongo Mede, to clear the government’s right of way for the federal road project.
Speaking with journalists shortly after the exercise, Mr Mede advised affected persons to relocate their businesses to the Makurdi International Market and the Makurdi “ultra-Modern market” where shops are available for allocation.
“We have informed those affected to move to the international market where there are stores. People should not erect containers or structures indiscriminately within the metropolis without approval,” he stated.
He cautioned residents against placing shipping containers and kiosks along major roads, saying such practices were “defacing” the city.
“If you want to engage in any commercial activity, come to our office and apply for a permit. We will guide you to the appropriate area. Putting containers everywhere does not portray Makurdi as a planned city,” he said.
Mede disclosed that the demolition had reached Kanshio and would continue up to Apir, noting that similar exercises had already been carried out in Otukpo to allow construction to proceed unhindered.
He dismissed allegations of favouritism, explaining that the team only suspended work temporarily in some areas to prevent obstruction to traffic and business activities, adding that some people who built legal structures have to be compensated before the buildings would be demolished.
“We were starting right at Atorough Tyough. What made me to stop removing structures at that place was because you noticed there were more than 30 persons sitting there and waiting for vehicles to board and leaves. For that reason, I stopped that demolition there but I informed them that the next time we come there, we will surely remove them. There’s no issue of favouritism,” he clarified.
Mede also refuted claims that the demolition came without notice, insisting that the board had carried out over a month of radio announcements and issued seven-day notices before commencing the operation.
“For more than a month, we aired announcements on three radio stations and gave seven-day notices to affected persons. They had enough time to vacate, but many ignored the warnings,” he said.
The General Manager further warned that property owners whose illegal structures are demolished will henceforth bear the cost of removal.
“We can’t continue to spend government funds removing illegal structures. From now, anyone whose property is removed will pay for the demolition. The law permits us to recover the cost,” he stated.
Mede, however, assured that filling stations and other approved buildings extending into the right of way would be treated differently, as the government plans to pay compensation before their eventual removal.
