On Monday, the Delta State Government started demolishing unauthorized buildings that were constructed on Dennis Osadebay University’s property in Anwai-Asaba.
Chief Frank Omare, the chairman of the Task Force, stated during the demolition exercise that the state government had given them the task of reclaiming all government lands that had been unlawfully taken by people or businesses throughout the state.
In response to concerns from the students residing in the demolished buildings, Omare stated that their purported landlords should have notified them. He also mentioned that some unscrupulous landlords had just last week taken a year’s worth of rent from a few students, despite having given them notice to vacate the area.
He said the university authority has provided alternative accommodation arrangements for such students.
“Clearly where we are now is the university land and it is meant for the Faculty of Agriculture of the Dennis Osadebay University, more than 1000 persons have encroached on the land and built illegal structures, amid illegal approvals.
“We gave them notice to vacate the land five months ago. We were patient enough to go round informing them so that tomorrow they will not say they were not given enough notice.
“So whatever you are seeing here is a determination of the government of Delta State to bring about rule of law and to respect the laws of the land because we cannot allow land grabbers to begin to sell all kinds of lands.
“This is just a starting point because ‘the falling away of the yellow leaves is a warning to the green ones’. At Federal College of Education Technical Asaba, those who have built there illegally, we are coming for them,” he warned.
Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Academics and Research, Dennis Osadebay University, Prof Robert Oghenedoro Dode, said; “this is the first time I am seeing this level of impunity where people encroach not just on the university but government lands and sell them to people to build massive structures.
“This is the university land meant for the Faculty of Agriculture and we thank the government for doing the right thing.
“Some people claimed that the university sold the land to them, the Vice-Chancellor, Prof Ben Oghojafor has challenged those making such claims to come up with such evidence or take him to court.
“Let it be on record that Dennis Osadebay University has never or ever contemplated and will never give out a portion of the university land to anybody either by sale or whatever.”
In a separate speech, Prof. Chukwuji Christopher, the Deputy Vice Chancellor for Administration, gave the unlawful occupiers relocation advice, stating that “there was no understanding between them and the university on the illegal structures built on the land.”
“Nobody can be greater than the government,” he said, cautioning purchasers and vendors against purchasing land owned by the government. none deserves to be spared, and none is today.
When the warning given to the illegal property owners expired, the properties were demolished.