Court restrains Uzodimma, others from demolishing Imo market

The Governor of Imo State, Hope Uzodimma, and the Central Market Complex Development and Investment Company, Donez Global Services Ltd, Joe Jonny Joyson Enterprises Ltd,  and Nigerian Export-Import Bank have been restrained as defendants either through their agents, servants, assigns, heirs, privies or any other person acting on their behalf from taking any further steps in furtherance of the forceful demolition and ejection of the rightful owners of the land and structures erected on the piece of land known as Central Market Layout, Owerri, pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice for interlocutory injunction by the applicants.

Speaking to newsmen on Thursday, Dr. Christian Nwadigo, who spoke on behalf of the plaintiffs’/landowners’ legal team, said the plaintiffs/applicants, who are, Incorporated Board of Trustees of Rhema Life Ministry International, Sunway Global Properties Ltd, Zero-One Global Properties Ltd, Ekpereamaka Jessica Nwankwo and Nwankwo Emmanuel were issued with a certificate of occupancy by the same Imo State Government who was forcefully trying to acquire the land without recourse to the issuance of the certificate of occupancy issued by it through the Ministry of Land, Survey and Urban Planning.

He urged the state government to restrain from further using her agents to demolish the structures at the piece of land known as Central Market Layout Owerri, located at Umuohiadagu, Nekede, Owerri West Local Government Area.

He said the rightful holders of the certificate of occupancy are the plaintiffs. “We have written to the governor, Attorney General, Commissioner of Police, and Commissioner of Land among others to notify them of the court order.”

Nwadigo called on the Imo State Government to respect the court order by restraining from taking further steps pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice for interlocutory injunction.

When According to Metro visited the office of the Ministry of Lands, Survey and Urban Planning, a top official met declined to speak, saying as civil servant he was not permitted to speak to the media. All efforts made to speak to the media officer of the ministry proved abortive.

When our correspondent called the Commissioner for Information, Public Orientation and Strategy, Declan Emelumba, he said he would get back to According to Metro on the court order but called back later to ask our correspondent to speak to the General Manager, Owerri Capital Development Authority.

But when we called the OCDA GM, he picked up and hung up the phone when he heard the call was from According to Metro. Several calls put to him did not connect as of the time of filing the report.