By Ugochukwu Alaribe
ABA—Residents of Unity  Garden Estate, Osisioma Ngwa, Abia State, have sent a save our soul message to Gov. Okezie Ikpeazu, to save them from what they have described as incessant Police harassment over who has the right to occupy the Estate.

The residents said they were being harassed by some  Policemen attached to the Police Mobile Force, PMF 55 Squadron, Aba, who have been insisting that they must vacate their homes.

A  section of the estate serves as the base of  the MOPOL 55 Squadron, while civilian residents occupy the larger part. The PMF 55 which was formerly located at Nsulu Games village in Isiala Ngwa North council was relocated to the estate at the height of the kidnapping incidents which swept through Aba and its environs in 2009.

Vanguard gathered that trouble started for the residents when some Policemen who were formerly living at the abandoned Enyimba International Hotel, were asked to vacate the hotel to make way for rehabilitation works. Faced with accommodation challenges, the Policemen and their families returned to the Estate and demanded residents of the estate, most of whom had used their money to renovate buildings, to vacate.

A  resident of the estate, who gave his name as Oche, said some policemen have been harassing his family demanding him to vacate his remaining two room apartment for them. He said: “We are appealing to Governor Okezie Ikpeazu to call the policemen to order. Some Policemen have been harassing my family almost on daily basis asking that we vacate the apartment. I used over N300, 000 to renovate this four bedroom bungalow before packing in with my family.”

I have left two rooms for one of the Policemen who came back from Enyimba hotel. I now manage two rooms with my family, yet they won’t allow us live in peace.”

Another resident  who pleaded anonymity for fear of victimization, said,, ‘the Policemen invaded our houses asking us to vacate. Some of us lost our houses while others were asked to vacate some of the rooms in their house for policemen and their families. What they did to us is inhuman.  Some of these buildings were dilapidated but we used our money to rehabilitate them, we  do not deserve this ill treatment.  I have a family five children with my wife, where do they want us to go after using our money to rehabilitate the  apartment?  The harassment is becoming a daily affair. The governor should come to aid before they render us homeless.”

Efforts to contact the General Manager of the Abia Housing Corporation who owns the estate, proved abortive. However, Abia state Commissioner for Housing, Hon. Osita Igbe told Vanguard that some of the residents of the estate have reported to his Ministry, and added that the Housing Corporation is on top of the situation.

When his reaction was sought, spokesman of the Abia Police command, Mr.  Ogbonnaya Nta, said,”The Estate is for the Police as directed. No civilian is allowed to live in the estate with the Police. But the Commander MOPOL 55 Squadron has shown mercy on them and asked those with families and occupying two rooms to vacate one and stay in one while looking for accommodation.”