Contrary to allegations that it demolished NTA Onitsha’s property at the Trans-Nkisi Estate, Onitsha, the Anambra State Government said it only enforced development control laws and never tampered with the media outlet’s property.
A viral new video peddled by the outlet accused the state government officials led by the State Physical Planning Board, ANSPPB, and the State Joint Taskforce of Demolition of Illegal Structures of invading the NTA’s premises and demolishing the outfit’s property.
They also alleged that the Taskforce Team damaged the NTA camera during the exercise, seized many phones of people trying to video them, and brutalized some journalists, including the General Manager of NTA Onitsha, Violet Nnadi.
The Onitsha NTA GM was seen in the video claiming that the land on which the demolished structures were erected belonged to NTA and that they were not given any pre-demolition notice or warning.
But, in reaction to the video and allegations, the Managing Director of the Anambra State Physical Planning Board, Barr. Chike Maduekwe dismissed them as fabricated falsehoods that were irresponsibly concocted to mislead the public and blackmail the government.
In an interview with our correspondent, the ANSPPB boss clarified that demolished structures were not official NTA property but illegal shanties erected on government-owned land and along the roads.
He said the unauthorized structures included rental and residential shanties, a pit latrine (with substandard toilets) by the roadside, and a building.
“Does NTA build shanties? Is it part of their primary responsibility? Does NTA rent out shanties? Who authorized her to build and collect rent? Is she ignorant of the law? And do they not know that ignorance of the law is no excuse?” he questioned.
Maduekwe maintained that the law of Anambra State was very clear in specifying that anyone who wants to build, including government agencies, must seek approval from the Physical Planning Board.
Dismissing the NTA Manager’s claim that no pre-demolition notice or warning was given before the exercise as sheer dishonesty, Maduekwe disclosed that several notices and warnings had been issued three years ago for the removal of the illegal structures, including as recently as last week, which, he said, were all ignored.
“Notices were issued repeatedly—not once, not twice, but several times over the years, including as recently as last week,” he confirmed, sharing a video that shows the inscription of “REMOVE” warning and other markings on the shanties, which were said to been marked since 2023.
Barr. Mmaduekwe also dismissed the allegations of brutality and accused the NTA General Manager, Nnadi, of deliberately creating a scene during demolition to obstruct lawful government action.
“Apart from the fact that she was not manhandled, even her provocative conduct nearly escalated the situation. If you see how she was shouting and reacting. If I had not been there, the security personnel would have dealt with her for her conduct. She physically grabbed a uniformed officer—who does that?
“I was the one who personally told them, ‘Leave her! Don’t touch her!’ And maybe she went behind and tore her own dress to fuel the false narrative by claiming that she was beaten.”
Maduekwe warned that the state government would not tolerate lawlessness and any form of manipulation, adding that all remaining illegal structures in the area would be removed in the coming days.
He insisted that Governor Chukwuma Soludo’s administration is a government that upholds the rule of law and will not tolerate the idea of a lawless state.
