From Muhammad Ahmadu Saka ,Bauchi
There is brewing tension, fear of uncertainty among the residents of the Federal Housing Estate in Bauchi as the Federal Ministry of Housing and Urban Development has officially handed over its estate in Bauchi State to the Nigerian Air Force at a discounted rate and on installment payment.
Early in the morning on Wednesday, Airforce personnel were seen inside the premises of the houses , and occupants of the house protested their presence.
The protesters carried placards calling on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the Bauchi State Government to intervene and save their families.
The estate was built by the Ministry of Housing in 2016 for low-income earners, in which many of the residents live in two-bedroom bungalows.
Secretary of the residents’ association, Mohammed Kabir, appealed to President Bola Tinubu to stop the move and protect them from being forced out, considering their long stay, financial contributions, and efforts in maintaining the estate.
Kabir said last night, some as soldiers knocked the doors of some houses asking them to vacate the houses, even though they filled the form of expression of interest and were also promised that the houses would later become theirs permanently by officials of the ministry.
Kabir said they were shocked with the latest threat to evict them from their houses, claiming the estate had been sold to the Nigerian Air Force.
Many of the residents that spoke to reporters during the protest begged the President and Bauchi State Governor, Senator Bala Mohammed, to intervene, saying many of them used their own money to maintain the houses after they were abandoned.
They said the Airforce deployed their personnel in the premises, and they were ordered to vacate before 12 midnight , and presently anyone that left his house will not be allowed to return.
The residents alleged that their Secretary was whisked away by the Airforce personnel to their base.
The occupants said they had filed a valid case before Federal High Court in Abuja challenging the move by the Ministry to evict them and give the houses to the Nigerian Airforce.
Efforts to get Architect Nwamadu Herbertson who represents the Federal Ministry of Housing and Urban Development over the matter was not successful because he was not available at press time.
Senior officials of the Ministry confirmed to reporters that the estate has been handed over to the Nigerian Airforce officially.
They said the occupants were living in the houses illegally without anyone giving them any allocation letter from the Ministry.
The officials said “Today A memorandum of Understanding was signed between the officials of the Nigerian Airforce and officials of the Federal Ministry of Housing in the presence of the representatives of the Minister of the Federal Ministry of Housing and Urban Development.”
Last week it was reported in many national dailies that the Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Ahmed Musa Dangiwa announced plans by the Federal Government to provide affordable housing for men and officers of the Nigerian Air Force and all classes of Nigerians, within the low, middle and high-level income levels.
The Minister, Ahmed Dangiwa, said when the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Hassan Bala Abubakar led a delegation of key officers on a courtesy visit to the Ministry in Abuja, Dangiwa also assured the NAF of the readiness of the Ministry to provide housing units to its personnel under the National Housing Programme (NHP) at a subsidised rates so that they can be comfortable providing security and protecting Nigeria’s sovereignty.
He said: “We recognise the importance of providing suitable housing for men and officers of the Nigerian Airforce. We assure them of our commitment to meeting the needs of the Air Force. We consider giving them NHP Houses in Bauchi at a discounted rate”.
Effort to get the comment of the Airforce Public Relations Officer in Bauchi was not successful.
