Ekere Afia Connives with UCCDA in Criminal Land- Grab scandal

*  Fmr lawmaker drags AKSG into Ifa Etoi messy land deal, says govt. is taking over lands Authority issues 21day demolition notice

*  Indigenes deny selling land to govt, to petition AKSG

*  Community, developers head to court

 

A former member of Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly for Uyo State Constituency, Ekere Afia has gotten himself into a fix on dubious land deals he purportedly transacted during his tenure as lawmaker. The properties in contention belonged to many families in Ifa Ikot Akpan Etoi, Uyo Local Government Area before they were sold out to developers. Last weekend, the community and property developers in the area were shocked to receive a “final demolition notice” with a 21day ultimatum from Uyo Capital City Development Authority, (UCCDA), to uproot developing and developed properties on the areas in contention of face demolition. The officials of the Authority who came with some policemen told the people that the structures are erected on government land and that government is taking over the properties. The notice was signed by the chairman of the Authority/Chief Executive attached to all the structures.

But speaking, the community leaders and indigenes of the disputed parcels of land who expressed shock over the development said never did they sell their land to government at any time and challenged that documents to that effect should be tendered by those claiming so in other to authenticate such dubious claim. Investigations however revealed that Ekere Afia, after negotiating a deal with top officials of the UCCDA is behind their actions of threat of demolition while impersonating Akwa Ibom State Government.
Going down memory lane on the issue, an elder in the community who spoke “informally” pending the formal position of the community which is to be issued soon said some years ago when Ekere Afia was Uyo State Constituency Member, said; “he brought some persons who fronted for him, and told some persons who had land in that area that the state government was interested in the whole of that area. It wasn’t developed then and so without meeting with leaders and owners of the community, he met with some persons we do not know till now. He told them government was taking over the land and reportedly “compensated” them from his personal money with amounts ranging from ten thousand to thirty thousand naira.
“How can the government acquire land from members of a community with no agreements and formal documentation, and without commensurate compensation? The original owners of these parcels of land who are well known in the community, of course genuinely sold their properties to developers after his dubious attitude were brought to light. Let Ekere Afia come out and publicly tender valid documents of the lands he purportedly acquired. The community has asked him severally to come forward with proofs but he has refused”.
Meanwhile the youths of the community say they will resist what they described as “criminal insult” from the former lawmaker. They asked where Ekere Afia and his criminal gang were when Ifa community fought with Ibiaku over that area which he is now attempting to deceitfully lay claim to when he knows he never legitimately acquired them. “If he is bankrupt in the aftermath of his failed senate election, he should go and earn money legitimately. He is trying to paint our community as being fraudulent, he won’t survive our onslaught,” they vowed. 
Meanwhile, it was learnt that the community and owners of property on the disputed area have already engaged legal services and are heading to court to challenge the illegal demolition threat of UCCDA and are determined to sue the Authority if any part of their property is damaged. The community, meanwhile has urged the state government to come into the matter and halt the criminal intentions of the former Assemblyman and UCCDA even as it has concluded petitions to be sent to the state government, Director of State Security Services and the Police. A formal statement on the issue is due in days, it was gathered.