By Muhammad Babayo Asha
Residents of the Federal Housing Estate at Ningi – Kano road in Bauchi State have staged a protest over what they described as plot to forcefully eject them out of the quarters they have been occupying for years.
Some of them were seen with placards with various inscriptions such as, this is not a barrack, we need safety, we are calling on President Tinubu to come to our aid, we have no place to go, we are Nigerians, we have all means for allocation of the houses, Air Force stay away.
Narrating their ordeal one of the resident, Muhammad Kabir claimed that they followed due process to occupy the houses because they bought forms from the Federal Ministry of Housing and Urban Development before keys were given to them.
Muhammad Kabir who is also the Secretary of the residents expressed concern over some security agents claiming that the estate has been sold out to the personnel of the Nigerian Airforce.
While calling on President Bola Ahmad Tinibu to come to their plight Muhammad Kabir said Federal Ministry of Housing and Urban Development has served them 24 hours within which to vacate the estate.
A father of five children Muhammad Alfa who is also a federal government employee called on the authority concern to reconsider the decision to sell the estate to others as there are over 270 households in the estate as doing so subject them into untold hardship.
Alfa said he has been contributing for the Federal Housing Scheme Funds for over two decades hence he is qualified to own the house.
Some of the women spoken to, Hannatu Sani Garba and Rukayya Mustapha Chindo claimed that their husbands spent a lot of money to make some repairs in the houses they are occupaying hence the need to consider them.
Speaking on the development, a legal practitioner Alkasim Muhammad who said he received the complaint to the residents noted that the 2016 Buhari’s Housing Scheme is aimed at helping low income Nigerians to own houses.
Alkasim Muhammad who is also a human rights activist said the 1999 constitution as amended provides room for government to make provision for its citizens to access houses, healthcare and other social amenities.
He called on the Federal Government to launch an investigation into the alleged sale of the estate to the Nigerian Airforce and all plots behind it to some individuals.
In swift reaction the Federal Controller, Bauchi State Ministry of Housing and Urban Development, Architect Nwamadu Herbertson said expressions of interest forms are being given free of charge to all individuals that need request for them.
Nwamadu Herbertson explained that the filled and returned forms were forwarded to Abuja where successful applicants would be contacted and they are wanting for further directives from the headquarters.
He explained that as far as the Ministry is concerned the residents of the estate are occupaying the houses illegally because they have been served to vacate more than three times before the last 24 hours notice.