At least 78 structures built within Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capital, may have been demolished illegally by a board set up by the State Government.
Out of that number, two of the affected properties belong to the wife of a former President, Mrs Patience Jonathan.
While one property is located at the Otiotio area, the other, a hotel, was developed by Mrs Jonathan at Okaka.
Already, Mrs Jonathan has approached the police in that State, claiming that the action by the State Physical Planning and Development Board did not follow due processes.
A complaint filed by the former First Lady is seeking the arrest and possible prosecution of the Chairman of the board, Gideon Ekeowe.
Ekeowe who is responsible for the removal of illegal structures in Yenagoa is a former Secretary to the State Government.
Mrs Jonathan is alleging that the demolition of a section of Aridolf Resort Wellness and Spa, located at Okaka area in the State capital was done in bad faith.
Reports say that the former Secretary to the State Government (SSG) who is the Chairman of the State Physical Planning and Development Board, led the demolition team that carried out the exercise.
Mrs Jonathan, according to information, is demanding the arrest of Ekeowe over what she describes as the criminal demolition of her property and an abuse of court processes.
The demand for the apprehension of Ekeowe, some sources say, has been ignited by the destruction of the hotel’s fence.
These sources are claiming that the demolition exercise was carried out by the physical planning board which instituted a matter in court, without allowing the management of the hotel as well as the State Police Command to respond legally to an order of court arising from a motion on notice.
We have learnt that the reaction of the former first lady is raising a lot of dust.
There are indications that Governor Douye Diri may have washed his hands off the action of the Physical Planning and Development Board.
Accusations pertaining to the illegal demolition of propertybin and around Yenagoa have been filed by aggrieved Bayelsa’s.
Incidentally, Ekeowe is equally being accused of acting independently by some staff of the board.
Meanwhile, there are officials who insist the action by the board headed by the ex-SSG is backed by the ruling of the Physical Planning Development tribunal headed by Justice Emmanuel Ogola (rtd).