Evicted 85-year-old Retired Soldier Gives El-Rufai 24-hour Ultimatum To Repair Demolished House, Demands Compensation

The committee in charge of public auction of government residential houses reassigned the property in question to one Mr Abbas Mohammed Ango without cancelling or revoking Ojo's bid

An 85-year-old retired staff sergeant of the Nigeria Army, Paul Ojo, who was evicted from his residence, has given Kaduna State governor, Nasir el-Rufai, and a 24-hour notice to repair his house.

He also demanded compensation for the assault and trauma he suffered at the hands of armed policemen, who carried out his eviction.

Paul Ojo and his wife

SaharaReporters had reported how armed policemen allegedly assaulted and evicted Ojo, his 75-year-old wife, Veronica, and two sons from their house at Block L12, KAPWA Quarters, Kabala Costain, Kaduna on August 17.

In a letter dated August 21, his lawyer, Kimi Livingstone Appah, asked the governor to repair the demolished house and resettle his client within 24 hours.

Ojo also demanded the payment of N50m as general damages for the psychological trauma his family had passed through.

Appah said his client remained the rightful owner of the property but the team led by Samuel Jacob Madaki went ahead to forcefully take over the house without a court order or notice.

The letter reads, "Following from the above facts, we demand the following: That within 24 hours, you authorise your agent; Samuel Jacob Madaki, to repair the house he supervised the demolition and settle our client back to their premises.

"That you cause to be published a written apology over the act and action of your agents. That you pay the sum of N 50, as general damages for the psychological trauma you subjected our clients.

"Note kindly, that should you fail to strictly follow through the demands as stated in paragraph 26 above, we shall carry out our clients’ further instructions and note please, this letter also serves as a pre-action notification."

Appah explained that the committee in charge of public auction of government residential houses reassigned the property in question to one Mr Abbas Mohammed Ango without cancelling or revoking Ojo's bid and the initial payment he had made over the property.

Letter against el-rufai.pdf

Source: saharareporters