Arewa Community Raises Alarm Over Alleged Plan To Evict Them In Delta State

The Arewa community in Delta State has raised alarm over uncovered plans to evict them from the State, specifically from Asaba, the State capital.

The community members say they have resided in the area for over 200 years.

According to a report by Daily Trust, their fears are due to a plan by the Delta State Government in conjunction with a private development company, Rexwood Nigeria Limited to convert the area into a government theme “smart city”, which will include hotels, shopping malls, office complexes, leisure playground, etc.

Speaking on behalf of the community, the Sarkin Hausa of Asaba, Alhaji Ibrahim Baba Gero said “We have been living here for over 200 years. I was born here. My father and grandfather were also born here…We have huge markets here and are engaged in legitimate businesses. The graves of our ancestors are here and now they are asking us to leave our houses”.

This area under contention is Cable Point which is a unnatural array of residential and market area in Asaba with over 2000 houses and shops.

The Hausa community it was gathered has about 20 houses of worship.

This development has no doubt brought tension in the area as the community had petitioned the police, the Northern Governors’ Forum, the DG of the Department of the State Services, the Emirs of Kano and Zazzau among others.

However, the CEO of Rexwood Nigeria Limited, High Chief Ubaka denied the allegations against him saying his company’s plans to develop the area were well-intentioned.

“There is no problem in cable; there is no tension in the area…nobody is asking anyone to leave his home. Nobody is pursuing anybody…most of them don’t have documents for the houses and that is their fear”.