UNN accuses Enugu govt of encroaching on its land, petitions IGP

By SAMUEL OGIDAN, Abuja

The Management of University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, has taken Enugu state government to the Inspector General of Police for encroaching on its land.

Accusing the state government for encroaching on its land, the school management said that the action could incite malice and disrupt peace in the university environment.

In a petition addressed to the Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu and signed by Dr. Obinna D. Onodugo, Chief Medical Director of the teaching hospital, the institution explained how the said land was allocated and wondered why attempts were being made to forcefully acquire it.

In his explanation, Dr. Onodugo said on the 26tn of January, 2021, unknown persons forcibly entered into the property situated at its old site, Ogbete, Enugu and conspicuously placed a very large sign post with the inscription “THIS LAND IS THE PROPERTY OF ENUGU STATE, BE WARNED, TRESPASSERS MAY BE PROS ECUTED” boldly written on it.

He said this is coming on the heels of an earlier attempt, on the 22nd of April 2020, to forcibly damage several structures including the flora and fauna on the referenced land, which was firmly resisted by the hospital’s management.

He said: “The land under threat is part of a larger expanse of land represented in Survey Plan EN (A) 715 Origin TB undisputedly belonging to University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital.”

“Formally, the Military Governor of the old Anambra State transferred the entire old site of UNTH to the Federal Government by the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital Enugu Decree No, 23 of 1974 during the regime of Governor Ukpabi Asika in the then East Central State.”

“The Enugu Specialist Hospital was taken over by the Federal Military Government, the Hospital thereupon became a Federal Hospital and as such, all the property rights, which include the UNTH old site, became vested in the Federal Government.”

“The Hospital has since been in full possession of the property and still retains its quarters, mortuary, research and training schools, academic administration and students’ hostels in the said property. Works, towards the erection of a modern state-of-the-art Emergency Medical Centre and other diagnostic clinics on a part of the property are in progress.”

“There has been several attempts by persons purportedly acting at the instance of the Enugu State Government to trespass into the said property clearly belonging to the Federal Government.”

“These developments as well as the most recent attempt to place the misleading signpost on the said land, as well as our predisposition for strict subservience to the dictates of the law, we respectfully implore you to intervene as a matter of urgency on the above.”

The Institution, has, however called on the IGP to investigate the issue and order the immediate removal of signpost to enable the management of the hospital carry out its job. (Sunday Independent)