Bauchi Residents Protest Deliberate Sale Of NHP Housing

Residents of the Federal Housing Estates on Ningi Street in Bauchi State have staged a peaceable protest over aan lleged plan to allocate over 270 housing models to the Nigerian Air Drive (NAF).

The challenge, initiated in 2016 underneath the Nationwide Housing Programme (NHP) of former President Muhammadu Buhari, aimed to supply reasonably priced housing for civil servants and low- middle-income earners.

LEADERSHIP discovered that the Federal Ministry of Housing and City Improvement has issued a last eviction discover to people described as ‘unlawful occupants’ of the NHP website in Bauchi, giving them 48 hours to vacate the premises.

Through the protest, Muhammad Kabir, secretary of the Committee of Residents, expressed outrage over the transfer, saying they adopted due course of together with filling out Expression of Curiosity (EoI) varieties, paying N10,000 every, and receiving home keys from the Federal Ministry of Housing in Bauchi.

“We fulfilled all necessities and have been issued keys. We’re shocked to study the homes might now be offered to the Nigerian Air Drive.

“A few of us have lived right here for years, 5, six, and even two years. We deserve equity and transparency,” he added.

He appealed to the President Tinubu and minister of Housing and City Improvement to urgently intervene.

One other resident, Mohammed Alfa, a federal civil servant, revealed that he has been contributing to the nationwide housing scheme since 2004 by way of month-to-month wage deductions.

“I submitted all required paperwork and waited for years. Now we’re listening to that the properties are being offered to the Air Drive with none discover to us.

This isn’t simply disappointing, it’s heartbreaking,” he mentioned.

He added, “I reside right here with my household, 5 youngsters. We’re asking the place we go? How will we begin over after years of dedication?”

Additionally, Barrister Alkasim Muhammad, a authorized practitioner and human rights advocate based mostly in Bauchi, mentioned the residents sought his assist after receiving sudden eviction threats in some instances, notices to vacate.

“This raises critical issues about legality and due course of. The Nationwide Housing Programme was meant to serve on a regular basis Nigerians, not establishments just like the Air Drive that have already got their very own housing schemes,” he mentioned.

He mentioned diverting the homes to a navy establishment undermines the constitutional duty of the federal government to guard residents’ welfare.

“We’re reviewing authorized choices and can discover all lawful avenues to guard the rights of residents. That is about justice, accountability, and the rule of legislation,” Barr. Alkamis assured.

He referred to as for transparency and a decision that protects the rights of residents underneath the unique function of the Nationwide Housing Programme.

In his response, Arc. Nwamadu Herbertson, the Federal Controller of Housing in Bauchi, instructed journalists that the EOI varieties have been distributed freed from cost, and no funds have been collected by the ministry.

“After receiving the varieties, we forwarded them to the headquarters for additional processing. Sadly, many candidates failed to satisfy the ultimate necessities inside the stipulated timeframe,” he mentioned.

In response to him, all provisional affords have been revoked in April following a nationwide directive affecting a number of housing websites underneath the identical programme.

Relating to the alleged sale of the housing unit to the Nigerian Air Drive, he clarified, “There are ongoing transactions on the headquarters degree.”

He suggested journalists to direct additional inquiries to the ministry’s headquarters for correct and up-to-date data.

Nwamadu confirmed that the occupants had beforehand been served eviction notices on 4 separate events.