Delta State Government, on Monday, commenced demolition of illegal structures built on lands belonging to Dennis Osadebay University, Anwai-Asaba.
Speaking during the demolition exercise, Chairman of the Task Force, Chief Frank Omare, said they were mandated by the state government to recover all government lands illegally occupied by individuals or corporate bodies across the state.
On complaints by the students living on the demolished properties, Omare said their supposed landlords ought to have informed them, adding that some rogue landlords collected a year’s rent from some students just last week even after they had been given notice to leave 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.”
Also speaking, Deputy Vice Chancellor Administration, Prof Chukwuji Christopher, advised illegal occupiers to relocate “because ab initio there was no understanding between them and the university on the illegal structures built on the land.”
He warned vendors and buyers to stay away from government land, adding that “nobody can be greater than the government. Nobody is to be spared, and nobody is being spared today”.
The demolition of the properties followed expiration of notice issued to the illegal property owners.