The President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, has condemned the demolition of properties valued at over N11 billion belonging to Prince Nicholas Ukachukwu by the Federal Capital Territory Administration, led by the Minister, Nyesom Wike.
He spoke when leaders of the Igbo Community Assembly paid him a visit in his office in Abuja.
Ukachukwu had accused Wike of ordering the demolition without any court order despite two pending valid court orders from separate courts stopping him and the FCT administration from tampering with the property.
The Anambra-born businessman called on President Bola Tinubu to intervene and save the multi-million-naira invested in the property.
However, the Minister responded, saying the land allocated to Ukachukwu did not have the approval of any minister.
The FCT minister said the land-grabbing in Abuja was becoming rampant because some officials in the land department of his ministry had compromised.
But Iwuanyanwu condemned the demolition, saying, “I understand that properties valued at over N11 billion were demolished.
“Nicholas Ukachukwu is an exceptionally patriotic Nigerian who has invested significant time and resources into developing Abuja.
“The contribution of the Igbos to Abuja’s development cannot be overlooked, and among such contributors, young men like Nicholas Ukachukwu must be remembered,” Chief Iwuanyanwu stated.
Iwuanyanwu said, “When he shared his grievances with me, I felt a deep sense of compassion and an urge to act.
“Anyone who invests billions of Naira in Abuja surely does so because they believe in the unity of Nigeria and are dedicated to its prosperity. This is a matter of concern for me.”
Chief Iwuanyanwu appealed to the Igbo Community Assembly Abuja to cancel the one-week deadline given to the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, and suspend any further action until the matter was resolved.
“Do not proceed with any demonstrations, as they could lead to violence, loss of life, and property damage. Allow me to look into this matter.
“After I have done so, I will convene with you once more. Suspend any action until I have explored every avenue to settle this dispute,” he appealed.
Earlier, the Chairman of the Igbo Community Assembly Abuja, Hon. Ositadinma Nwoye, condemned the demolition, stating that the FCT Minister claimed there were no supporting documents, despite presenting all necessary paperwork for the demolished N11 billion property.
“We presented all the necessary documents, and we are prepared to present our case to any authority. We had issued a one-week ultimatum during a world press conference three weeks ago, which the Minister did not honor.
“Now faced with confrontation, we have decided to pause our plans to protest until we receive guidance from you,” he said.
