The Anambra State government, on Thursday, began the demolition of illegal structures in the Fegge area of Onitsha.
The exercise followed the expiration of two months notice served developers and owners of illegal structures in the affected area and the waterway environs.
It was carried out by a joint task force, beginning from Bida Road by Modebe Avenue, Fegge, Onitsha.
The affected buildings included Mountain of Holy Ghost Intervention Deliverance Ministries owned by a theatrical cleric, Prophet Chukwuemeka Ohanaemere aka ‘Odumeje’, shops and other perimeter fences.
The structures were marked in April 2022 and all developers and building owners duly served notice to remove such illegal structures.
And in order not to be misunderstood, the government explained why it brought down the cleric’s building.
Governor Chukwuma Soludo’s Press Secretary, Christian Aburime, through a statement on Thursday, justified the demolition of Odumeje’s Church building.
According to Aburime, the cleric failed to comply with government’s directive to remove illegal structure he built on the waterway.
Odumeje’s church had earlier been identified by the government as one of the buildings sitting on drainage channels, and marked for demolition, in line with Onitsha Urban Renewal Plan.
The statement reads: “Following the expiration of the more than two weeks notice beginning from April 2022 served on developers and building owners who built several illegal structures along the waterway in Fegge and environs within Onitsha, Anambra State government has begun demolition of such structures…”