Reason Why ECTDA Demolished Enugu Press Center Revealed 

The development is coming on the heels of another earthshaking revelation that ECTDA is an illegal entity.

The implication, according to lawyers who spoke on condition of anonymity, is that the Chairman of ECTDA, Mr. Ken Onoh could be challenged in court for damages in the series of demolitions he has carried out in the state without legal backing.

It is still further revealed that sum of N2 million was promised some disgruntled journalists to pose as splinter group and hail the action of ECTDA in demolishing the perimeter fence.

The compromised journalists, who are now at daggers drawn with each other over the sharing formula of their loot, used a staff of Radio Nigeria Enugu and another freelance cob reporter with Vanguard Newspapers to pose as non existent splinter NUJ executives to malign NUJ leaders.

It was learnt that the Radio Nigeria staff whose name was used is currently complaining bitterly over a paltry share of N15, 000; while another Radio Station that aired the counter news received N20, 000.

It was further discovered that of the sum of N2 million released, the Agency withheld N1 million and gave the balance to two key negotiators and author of the counter release, who shared N900, 000 and deployed only N100, 000 for the hatchet job.

It will be recalled that the illegal and mindless demolition exercise being carried out across the state capital under the supervision of Ken Onoh, has rendered many residents and small business owners jobless lading to public outcry and condemnation by well meaning citizens including outspoken cleric, Rev. Fr. Ejike Mbaka of Adoration Ministry Enugu.

Meanwhile sources close to the Press Center located at N0. 4 Rangers Avenue, Independence Payout Enugu, revealed that shortly after ECTDA marked the Press Center perimeter fence and other properties within the complex for demolition, some unscrupulous agents contacted some tenants to negotiate for a bribe of N4 million to the illegal agency to stop impending demolition.

However, one of the tenants, who pleaded not to be named fell to the antics out of panic, and allegedly offered half a million Naira to a House of Assembly member to take to the Authority in order to stave off the demolition.

But the source at the Press Center revealed that when the leadership of the Council got wind of the development, they admonished all the owners facilities offering entertainment services within the Center not to pay a dime, including the proposed N4 million to anybody.

Incensed by the refusal of the service providers at the Center to play ball, the ECTDA, which operates with intimidation and sheer force, waved every entreaties by the leadership of NUJ to allow them erect another fence behind the alleged contravening fence before pulling it down, and bulldozed the fence and security house thereby exposing the Center to insecurity.

Another source at the Center said that presently ICT internet equipment worth more than N100 million, donated to the Council by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) are now at the mercy of criminal elements due to the exposure of the entire complex.

In the meantime, a cross section of legal practitioners in the state has urged victims of the wicked demolitions to approach the court for remedies, insisting that Ken Onoh was superintending over an illegal body.

The lawyers said that it was the duty of Town Planning Authority as recognized by the extant laws of the state to carry out such functi

The legal practitioners revealed that ECTDA is unknown to law and therefore carrying out illegal activities.

“ECTDA is not Town Planning Authority. Ken Onoh is occupying illegal office. All his actions are illegal and he can be challenged in court in person any victim and damages claimed,” one of the lawyers said. Ends