Workers homeless as Wike’s Gov’t demolishes Bayelsa property in Port Harcourt

The Rivers State Government on Friday began the demolition of a set of buildings belonging to the Bayelsa State Government on Akassa Street, Old GRA axis of Port Harcourt.

The structures are sited on a large expanse of land at Numbers 5 and 9 Akassa Street in the high-brow Old GRA axis.

NAIJA LIVE TV also gathered that the buildings were the residential quarters for workers of Bayelsa State Government Liaison Office in Port Harcourt.

Bayelsa was created out of Rivers State by the late Military Head of State, Sani Abacha on October 1, 1996.

Part of the vacation notice read, “The said buildings are not only constituting public nuisance, but also defacing the Rivers State Government’s Urban Renewal Infrastructural Development policies as relates to the Golf Course Old GRA Layout.

“Take further notice that at the expiration of this notice, Rivers State Government will take possession of the properties.”

Our correspondent who was at the scene of the demolition of the two buildings reports that all the occupants had moved out with their families on Thursday when they got wind of the planned demolition.

As of 10:20am, escalators and caterpillars were pulling down the buildings while armed security men mounted guard within the precinct.

While the demolition was on, policemen prevented journalists from taking pictures and entering the building.

Some of the previous occupants were spotted talking about the property.

One of the evictees and a staff of the Bayelsa State Liaison office in Port Harcourt, Pastor Isaac Board, said he hurriedly packed out of the building.

He stated, “I have no place to stay as I speak to you. My family slept in the corridor of a friends place last night.

“We are workers with the Bayelsa State, so let the government come to our aid by giving us a place to stay.”

Another distraught man, an Administrator Officer at the Liaison office, Woseebimu Frank-Oputu, said he was presently staying at the church with his family.

“It was my pastor that came with a truck to carry my property. My family and I are putting up in the church,” he stated.

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