Residents of the National Eye Centre layout in Mando, Kaduna, have lamented over the demolition of their houses by the Kaduna State Urban Planning Development Authority (KASUPDA) under the instruction of the management of the National Eye Centre.
The residents claimed over 40 houses were demolished in the last four days and feared that more would be demolished in the coming days.
The residents under the auspices of Wajen Zama Association, said contrary to assumptions, they were not illegal occupants as they bought their lands from a private developer named Interlands Skills Limited which was duly contracted by the management of the hospital.
A representative of the residents, Muhammed Kudu Isa, said they had documents to back their claim; that they did not purchase their lands illegally as portrayed by the hospital’s management and expressed their readiness to approach the courts to seek justice.
Isa said, “Today, the National Eye Centre is portraying us as illegal occupants, but we want the public to know that we are not illegal occupants. Our major complaint is that we bought our lands legally and the action of the management is wrong and an infringement on the rights of innocent Nigerians.”
Reacting to the issue, the National Eye Centre, through its legal adviser, Ringi Dakun, simply said there was no point in time when the mandate of the hospital to Interlands Skills Ltd included the selling of its land to anybody.
Our correspondent was unable to reach the management of Interlands Skills Ltd.