Enugu — Barely two weeks after a N100 million worth of property belonging to a renowned auto dealer, Mr. Arthur Orakpo, was demolished by officials of the Enugu State government for allegedly encroaching on the water buffer zone of the Asaba River bank, a human right activist in the state, Dr John Agu, has taken a swipe at the state government's action, describing it as illegal and flagrant disregard of rule of law.

Agu, who accused Governor Sullivan Chime of pursuing a selfish agenda in ordering for the demolition of the building, said rather than engage in activities that would promote the general welfare and wellbeing of the poor masses of the state, "this government has continued to chase after shadow".

The property, which included two one-storey buildings, security house and the fence, had reached advanced stage of completion before the state government rolled bulldozers to the site located on Ogui Road by Conoil Mega Filling Station, Enugu.

Agu, who noted that the demolition exercise was done out of malice as the building in question did not contravene any law relating to ownership of property in the state, added that it was also carried out in spite of a subsisting order of an Enugu High Court made by Justice A. R. Ozoemena restraining Governor Sullivan Chime, his Commissioner for Works, Engr. Godwin Madueke, Enugu Central Town Planning Authority, Alukwu and Sons Limited, Mr. Ben Alukwu and their agents from entering into the premises for purposes of demolition.

THISDAY checks revealed that Justice Ozoemena had given the order on April 27, this year, to forestall the demolition of the property pending the determination of the substantive suit brought by Glotor Nigeria Limited through its counsel, Tagbo Ike on the matter relating to the land which company leased from the Nigeria Railways Corporation (NRC).

The company had applied and obtained approval from Enugu Central Town Planning Authority for building of the two houses which were meant to serve as an eatery but the government went ahead to demolish them even when the court order has not been vacated and the substantive suit filed by the company was yet to be determined.

Some officials of the state government led by the Special Adviser to Governor Chime on Enugu Capital Development Matters, Mr. John Egbo, who allegedly owned a property under construction within the same area, supervised the demolition of the three houses, which attracted several sympathizers to the scene.

Agu condemned the action of the government which he said was in violation of the order of the state High Court, stressing that he could not understand why the government should be in a hurry to demolish the houses even which the matter was still pending in court.

The right activist further said that the action of the state government was also against the spirit and letters of the rule of law mantra of the President Umaru Yar'Adua's led administration, adding that in order not to incur the wrath of the people of the state by the illegal demolition, the Enugu state government should as a matter of urgency return the said land to the owner after paying the necessary compensation to the owner.

"It's unfortunate that some people still behave as if we are still in a military era. This is democracy and one of the major features is the respect for the rule of law. As a human right activist, we are determined to ensure that people, especially those in power comply with the principles of rule of law," he stated.