A joint group comprising the enforcement team of the Awka Capital Territory Development Authority (ACTDA) and men of the Anambra State Vigilante Group (AVG) on Thursday, dislodged illegal occupants from an uncompleted building at Amawbia, Awka South LGA, intended for use as a hotel, due to concerns over threats and nuisances to the surrounding environment.
The move, which was prompted by a surge in drug peddling and other illicit enterprises within the environment, saw the combined team act swiftly to dislodge over 300 individuals from the structure.
TNC’s further inquiries revealed that the occupants were people from different states including Kano, Taraba, Kogi, Adamawa, and various other states, who had unlawfully occupied the structure.
Addressing journalists at Amawbia, the Anambra State the Commander of ACTDA, Mr. Ugochukwu Nwimo, said there came an urgent need for the intervention, due to the rampant illegal enterprises and public nuisance perpetrated by the occupants.
Nwimo disclosed that there were prior warnings and a 14-day eviction notice to the illegal occupants of the structure, to vacate the building.
However, it was observed that the occupants persisted in their nefarious activities, hence, the response from the authorities.
Speaking on the need to maintain law and order in the capital city, Nwimo disclosed that contact with the owner of the building revealed his lack of knowledge regarding the unauthorized tenants, underscoring the urgency of the situation.
In his words, “Efforts are underway to ensure the safety and well-being of children and women found on the premises, while measures are being taken to prevent similar situations in the future.
“However, it has become necessary that this building be vacated because of the overall threat to security that the continued habitation by these people pose to the people.
“We have gotten these reports and we think they are not something we will overlook if Anambra must be a liveable and prosperous homeland that the government is talking about.
“We therefore issued them eviction notices but unfortunately, they did not move, so we have to come and remove them.
“Awka is a capital city and we have the mandate as ACTDA to ensure that the city is developed and devoid of activities that threaten the lives of residents.
”We will stop at nothing, to make Awka, the smart, green, and habitable city that it rightly deserves to be.”
When quizzed by newsmen on the arrangement for their occupying the uncompleted building, a private security man from Adamawa state, Muhammed Garba who oversees the premises, clarified that the owner of the building did not know the illegal occupants.
Garba said he accommodated them based on brotherhood and tribal affection, acknowledging that there were criminal activities ongoing within and around the area.
He however claimed that he has never been part of such an act, nor has any arrangement whatsoever with those involved..
Some residents who spoke to newsmen on condition of anonymity, expressed gratitude for ACTDA’s intervention, applauding the restoration of order and the eradication of the criminal hub.
They unanimously acknowledged the persistent security and social challenges posed by the presence of those occupants and welcomed the decisive action taken by authorities to restore sanity to the state.
