THE Kaduna State government has issued a statement contradicting its earliest claim on 31st December, 2020, that it demolished the building housing Asher Kings and Queens Restaurant, because of a proposed sex party scheduled to hold in the building.
Ismail Umaru Dikko, director-general of the Kaduna State Urban Planning and Development Authority (KASUPDA), who signed the statement on Tuesday, said that the building was demolished because of its illegal status.
While blaming the uproar that greeted the demolition on inaccurate information it shared on Twitter, KASUPDA noted that government records showed that the building had neither a valid title nor development permit.
“Since this enforcement action, much of the commentary on the matter has centered on the inaccurate statements from KASUPDA’s Twitter account. While regretting the inaccuracy of the handler of our social media account, there is no reservation about steps taken pursuant to enforce the laws and regulations of Kaduna State on the property that was in violation of its provisions,” part of the statement read.
“By virtue of various land administration and development control initiatives conceived and implemented in the last five years, there is no excuse for anyone in Kaduna State to remain without valid title to their property and permits for any development thereon.
“Residents that have taken advantage of this opportunity have thereby been assisted to vest their property with legal status. Those who have chosen to remain in violation and have shunned opportunities to regularise their status cannot argue from sentiment when enforcement actions are taken.”
The ICIR had reported how the state government claimed it ordered the demolition of the building after it gathered that a controversial sex party, publicised on social media, was to take place in the facility.
“When we got to know of this development, the government was disturbed, so the governor, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, informed the police,” Abdullah Yunus, special assistant to Governor El-Rufai on media, had told newsmen.
But in a statement on Tuesday, Aisha Mercy Yakubu, the owner of the restaurant, said the VIP Lounge of the restaurant was hired by one of her customers, who was into fashion, on the 27 December, 2020, to host a reunion party for customers.
She noted that “Before the event proper commenced, a friend of mine had noticed an unusual movement around the main gate to the restaurant as it was half opened to avoid a crowded environment. We approached the main gate and on getting there I saw two truck load of heavily armed officers of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF).”
Yakubu noted that it was when she reached the police station that she got to know that the venue had been advertised on social media for a proposed sex party. She said the police detained her and her staff for more than 24 hours despite denying knowledge of the event.
According to her, the next day, the police also arrested those who had initially hired the place for a reunion and were only released after they had paid a whopping sum of N100,000 for their bail.
Yakubu claimed that she was asked by the police to provide a sum of N20,000 to enable them to track one Akpan, who had printed a flyer alleging that she would host the controversial sex party. The police arrested Akpan, but in his confessional statement, he denied knowing where the restaurant was located and the owner.
She thought the matter had ended with the arrest of Akpan but was surprised on the New Year eve when she saw a payloader, accompanied by security operatives, demolishing the building hosting the restaurant without any prior notification.
She has vowed to seek legal redress over the demolition of her restaurant, adding that properties estimated at over N32million were lost to the demolition exercise. She also alleged to have lost her pregnancy due to the shock of the incident.
“I watched them pull down the building without allowing me to remove any item before the demolition. As a result of the trauma, I lost my one-month-old pregnancy.
“I also incurred the following loses – cooking utensils, furniture, electric appliances, chillers, deep freezers, Bemarrings outdoor catering utensils. Cash, et al worth over N32 million, as the place was abruptly vandalised after the demolition.
“I plan to seek legal redress for defamation of my character and the loss of my properties, in the building, plus other sundry issues as would be advised by my lawyers,” she lamented.
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