Bar Beach Towers Residents Evacuated By Force

My Country people, what has our country turned out to be ? A Lawless land?
At about 4:20am on this faithful day,the 6th of December, all residents of Bar beach tower were fast asleep
When all of a sudden, there was this thunderous noise outside, and before anyone could say Jack Robinson,
the whole Estate was inveded by the Army, police and Naval solders. After pulling down the main gate, they rushed
into the blocks like a raging fire, banging and breaking down doors, telling the occupants to move out of the premises with immediate effect.

Children crying , mothers begging, but all in vain.

On coming back home, early hours at about 6.45 am after studies, i found out I could not go into my Street and get home at the towers. The street was closed by armed men, not letting anyone including those of us living there to go to our houses. In My presence, the army men almost hit some press men (They took to there hills), infact, a military man was proud to say, go and ask Channels what I did to them.

It is a pity what our leaders can do to its citizens. Only in Nigeria, the law supercedes the press, and the law makers change the law at random.

Many are declared homeless now. Will Nigeria ever get better? We seem to be too gentle, Sometimes you don't blame the Liberians and sierrelonians.

Where is our hope? Do we still have faith?

Was there any advanced notice? Can you give us more information about what led to this incident? I'm sorry about this, AngelaZ.

However, please note that violence is never the answer. The Ivoriens and Sierra-Leonians you mentioned are experiencing much more suffering than we ever have, and the wars have only increased their problems.

i read somewhere in the papers(sorry seun, i cant remember presisely the paper) that FG has concluded plans to forcefully eject tennants of the 1004 flats.and that soldiers have been drated there to carry out this task. from the report, i understand that the residents were aware of this but they said they wouldnt bulge.
i understand that it has been a long drawn battle btw the govt and residents.
what i dont understand is this angela, is 1004 flats the same as bar beach tower?

and angelaZ, i'm so sorry about this. it really shouldnt have come to this.

We all knew when all the towers in Lagos and 1004 were up for sale, Last year or early this year I think (cant remember when exactly), but the residents opposed it and came to a concensus that they were up for bidding. A case was raised in court and after a very long period, last saturday, we were told we won the case and can remain in our houses. In that relaxed greatful attitude was when the devil stroke (like a thief in the night), no one was prepared.

Bagoma, 1004 is not the same but as I speak, their presence is there, they may be evicted tomorrow or this week, We cant predict. Phew !

sad. i've got old friends living there.

i actually thought they were moving them out cos the ever-threatening beach.

This is Ridiculous

The residents of this complex were given adequate time to vacate and move their belongings. Was it government property before it was sold ? What is the fuss about? When the landlord says move, why stay and dare him? I'm sorry I don't understand. What was the court verdict? wouldn't the court ruling be after the fact?

The tenants actually got a court injunction restraining the FG from forcefully evicting them from the buildings, at least not without making adequate preparation for them to be relocated to some where else. But I’m afraid in this country the FG is above the ruling of the court. And they have shown that in a number of ways for example withholding allocations for Lagos State even when the court had ordered them to release the allocations.

For the tenants of the1004 Flats the FG made preparations for them to be relocated all right but according to them to remote areas far away form their workplaces and as if it was enough a den for armed robbers.

This people have worked for the Government their entire life the least the FG could do is to provide them with roofs over their heads and like the tenants said they are willing to pay for these properties.

The FG should give them a break for Pete’s sake!

I heard the news with shock yesterday. for those who don't know what its about... how would u feel if u were rudely woken up at 4 a.m? We leave in a so called democracy but i tell you it is military democracy first of its kind in the world!!! Seriously the[b] law[/b] states that the sit in tenant should ve the 1st option to buy from the land lord if the property is for sale this did not happen instead the ogas in power sold it to "them them". they were given notice to quit, fine, the matter was taken to court, court ruled that the eviction[b] should not take place but against court orders (dem say court never sign the judgement which doesn't mean its not bindin on the parties) our millitary and mobile police invaded the premises[/b]. it would interest people to know that the military tenants in the property went about their daily activities and re still leaving there.

this just shows that the govt is by the people but not for the people and [b]the govt is above its judicial sy[/b]stem.

anybody living in nigeria knows that the obasanjo government has no regard for due process. Infact corruption is being institutionalized and if you find yourself on the other side of the divide better make yourself unavailable by disappearing.

Sale of Govt Quarters: Residents vow to fight on


By Jude Njoku & Kingsley Adegboye
Saturday, April 24, 2004


Residents of Federal Government quarters rose from their meeting yesterday resolving not to file a fresh suit in court to enforce their fundamental rights but to vigorously pursue the case filed by the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC), to stop the federal government from selling eight of its high profile properties in Lagos.

The quarters include 1004 estate, Victoria Island, Eric Moore Towers Surulere, Ikoyi Towers, Awolowo Road Towers and Mulliner Towers, all in Ikoyi as well as Bar-beach Towers.
At the meeting which ended late into the night, the residents restated their resolve to buy the affected properties at the amount offered by the highest bidders.

Speaking to Vanguard yesterday on the resolution in separate interviews, the chairman of 1004 Residents Association Mr Kohol and his counterpart in Eric Moore Towers, Mr Daniel Makolo said they are currently discussing with their bankers to raise the money and hoped that government will honour its earlier pledge that “sitting occupants shall be accorded the option of the first refusal at the price of the highest bidder”.
Mr Makolo said they approached the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria (FMBN) for loan but the apex mortgage bank advised them to go through a primary mortgage institution (PMI). He said they approached a Lagos based PMI for assistance but regretted that instead of the PMI coming to their aid, it (PMI) bidded for one of the buildings. He declined to disclose the banks they are currently discussing with.

The Central Working Committee (CWC) of the 1,388 families in Federal Government Quarters in an eight -page letter to the Housing and Urban Development Minister, Mrs Mobolaji Osomo titled “Re: Aftermath of the emergence of highest bidders: Notification of formal interest by legal sitting tenants to pay the prices of highest bidders for unrequired federal government quarters in Lagos” signified their interest in buying the properties.

The letter read in parts “Sequel to the successful conclusion of open, competitive bidding process on 16th April, 2004 in respect of the above subject and the subsequent emergence of the highest bidder through due process, we, the legal sitting tenants of above mentioned properties, in exercise of our constitutional and fundamental human rights, and in consonance with various appropriate provisions hereby signify our interest in buying the properties presently occupied by us.

In doing so, we are prepared to pay the prices of the highest bidders as required. In addition, we have initiated concrete arrangement for comprehensive refurbishment and in fact continuous, sustainable maintenance agenda for common municipal services through the engagement of professional property/facility managers.

Conscious of the financial implications, we have resolved to raise on a continuous basis, the full financial resources to actualise the above objectives in ways that will transform the estates into eldorado, as a follow-up to our maintenance activities for the past eight years”.
The letter which was signed by the CWC chairman, Mr Paul Angya and secretary, Sheik Abdullahi quoted statements made by key government functionaries to the effect that government will give first consideration to sitting occupants.
“We are certain that the hereunder quotations will greatly assist the Hon Minister and the federal government in henceforth taking well-informed decision(s) that will stand the test of moral probity, social justice, equity, fairness, transparent honesty, over-riding public interest and above all, divine judgement”, they said.

They quoted Article 4 of the Bid guidelines which stated that “all legal sitting tenants interested in buying the property they occupy are free to bid, provided they are prepared to pay the price of the highest bidder” as well as an extract from the White paper on the report of the Commission of Inquiry into the Alienation of Federal government landed property which stated that “sitting occupants shall be accorded the option of first refusal at the price of the highest bidder”.

The residents also recalled a statement credited to the secretary to the federal government, Chief Ufot Ekaette that “the auctioning of the quarters would commence a year into the monetisation exercise and residents would be given the first right of acceptance or rejection at the price of the highest bidder” to support their claims to buy the affected properties.

“From the foregoing, it is obvious that the next stage now is to invoke the provisions, clauses and international conventions which enable we, the legal sitting tenants to purchase the properties at the prices of the highest bidders. Pursuant to this, we the legal sitting tenants hereby offer to purchase the estates presently occupied by us at the prices of the highest bidders, as requested by the Federal government.

At last night’s meeting held in 1004 , news filtered in that UACN Plc has upped its bid for the estate to N8 billion. Efforts to confirm the story proved abortive as the managing director of UACN, Mr Steve Mayaki was said to be in Abuja when our reporter called his office. He could also not be reached on his mobile line. Officials of the Housing and Urban Development Ministry could also not be reached. The Personal Assistant to the Minister, Mr Kenneth Odusola Stevenson’s mobile line went dead when our reporter introduced himself.

I dont know how helpful this could be...........

Sorry but im confused
i dont understand the whole issue

AT TIMES WHEN I LOOK AT OUR COUNTRY AND MANY WRONG THINGS GOING ON,I FEEL LIKE CRYING.I MEAN IT,AM NOT JOKING.AM A MEMBER OF (CDHR) COMMITEE FOR THE DEFENCE OF HUMAN RITE,THE MISTAKE I MADE WAS GOING FOR ACCOUNTING AS A COURSE,HOW I WISH I READ LAW AND BE ABLE 2 FIGHT 4 D LESS PRIVILEDGE?NOW,THEY PUT THE HSE 4 SALE AND WERE FORCIBLY EJECTING OVER 5,020 PPLE (@ LEAST 1004*5=5,020)MY PPLE,WHO ARE THOSE DAT WILL BUY UP THE HSE? WILL THEY ALLOW D POOR MASSES TO PARTAKE IN BUYING UP THSES HSES?
AM SORRY REFERING YOU 2 A TOPIC"WAT'S HAPPENING TO EEDRIS" SINCERELY SPEAKING,I LOVE PPLE DAT SING ABOUT HAPPENINGS IN THE COUNTRY,I SO MUCH LISTEN TO FELA,EEDRIS,AFRICAN CHINA,BLACK FACE AND ALOT OF THOSE I COULDN'T MENTION.AM SURE MANY OF'EM WILL STILL TALK ABOUT THSI EJECTION SOONER OR LATER.SO ANYHOW WE CAN CAUTION THESE PPLE IN POWER,PLZ LET'S CONTRIBUTE OUR OWN QUOTA.
MY ADVISE TO THE OCCUPANT OF 1004 AND DAT OF SURULERE IS,THEY SHOULD STILL TRY THEIR BEST POSSSIBLE TO RETAIN THE PLACE.AS SAID BY ONE OF THEM DAT,NO MORE SPACE UNDER THE BRIDGE TO CONTAIN THEM.SO THEY SHOULD FIGHT HARDER AND I PRAY FAT GOD WILL BE BY THEIR SIDE.

But why is govt doing this? Do they prefer more homeless people?

That is a good question, but these are not the questions we need to be asking.

Here are some better questions:
1) Why were the residents of these housing estates not given the chance to be the first to buy those flats in the so-called "privatization scheme"? (I believe in privatization, but not in this inconsiderate manner).
2) Why is the state government disobeying a court order [/b]stating that armed forces must not be deployed to evict the residents of these housing estates?

Let us leave no stone unturned in order to find the answer to these questions. If you have any legal or media connections, why not call them up and see what they can do to get those questions answered. Why did the Lagos state Government [b]disobey a court order and how will they be punished? We demand to know.