MAKURDI – The Benue State House of Assembly on Wednesday appealed to the Nigerian Air Force, Tactical Air Command (TAC) Makurdi, to halt the demolition of houses at Akpen village and its environs.
The village is in suburb of Makurdi.
The command carried out the demolition on Wednesday morning.
The appeal followed a motion of urgent public importance moved by Mr Benjamin Adanyi, a member representing Makurdi South constituency.
Adanyi told the house that the command had demolished houses at Akpen village, pointing out that as at the time he visited the area, five houses were demolished, rendering the occupants homeless.
He said members of the community were in dispute with the command over the parcel of land, adding that the matter was before the assembly.
”The matter was also before the court but it was later withdrawn for amicable arbitration.
He told the house that following the demolition, irate youths in the area blocked the Makurdi-Gboko road and rendered it impassable.
He added that at the time he visited the area, security agencies were making efforts to dislodge them.
The motion was seconded by Mr Adoga Onah, a member representing Oju I constituency and Chairman, Committee on Petitions, Bills Review and Appraisal.
Onah said during the committee’s interaction with both parties, they were advised not to do anything in the area until the house passed its resolution on the matter.
The Speaker, Mr Terhile Ayua, while reading the resolutions of the house, said it condemned the pulling down of houses at the village.
Ayua directed the Officer Commanding TAC, Commissioner for Lands and Survey, and General Manager, Urban Development Board to appear before it for interface.
He also advised the youth in the area to be law-abiding, urging them not to take laws into their hands and give peace a chance. (NAN)