Abonnema Wharf Forced Eviction 2012

7/27/2019 Abonnema Wharf Forced Eviction 2012

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Forced'Eviction'of'Abonnema'Wharf'

Waterfront'Community,'Port'Harcourt'

27'June''2'July'2012'!

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Petition!to!National!Human!Rights!Commission!Submitted!26!September!2013!

!!!!Social!and!Economic!Rights!Action!Center!

Plot!758,!Chief!Thomas!Adeboye!Drive!Omole!Phase!2,!Isheri,!Lagos!

Tel:!+234.1.764.6299!

[email protected]!!

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Social!Development!Integrated!Centre!

(Social!Action)!33!Oromineke!Layout,!!

Off!Emekuku!Street!DULine,!Port!Harcourt!

Tel:!+234.803.273.3965!

[email protected]!!

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Collaborative!Media!Advocacy!Project!(CMA

[email protected]!

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!Stakeholders!Democracy!Network!(SDN)!

Nigeria!Secretariat!

22!Okoroji!Street!D/Line!

Port!Harcourt!Rivers!State!!

Nigeria!

tel.!+234!(0)[email protected]


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September!26,!2013!

!Prof.!Bem!Angwe!

Executive!Secretary!National!Human!Rights!Commission!

9!Aguiyi!Ironsi!Street!Maitama!!Abuja,!Federal!Capital!Territory!!

Dear!Prof.!Angwe:!'

Re:' PETITION' REGARDING' FORCED' EVICTION' OF' ABONNEMA' WHARF' WATERFRONT

COMMUNITY,'PORT'HARCOURT,'27'JUNE''2'JULY'2012'

'

We!write!regarding! the! 27!June! ! 2! July! 2012!demolition! and! forced! eviction!of! the! Abonnem

Wharf!Waterfront!community!in!Port!Harcourt,!Rivers!State.!The!Social!and!Economic!Rights!ActioCenter! (SERAC)! stands! as!Counsel!of!record! to!some!of!the! Abonnema!Wharf! evictees.!We!hav

been! instructed! to! file! a! petition! to! the! National!Human! Rights! Commission! (NHRC)! to!seek! a

investigation!into!and!adjudication!of!the!violation!of!thousands!of!Abonnema!Wharf!Waterfronresidents!fundamental!and!human!rights!including!the!right!to!fair!hearing,!right!to!housing,!right!

to!dignity,!right!to!food,!right!to!work,!right!to!adequate!standard!of!living,!and!right!to!private!andfamily!life.!!

!

Please!find!below!a!petition!and!detailed!memorandum!that!SERAC!has!developed!in!collaborationwith!the!Abonnema!Wharf!Waterfront!evictees,!the!Collaborative!Media!Advocacy!Project!(CMAP)

Social! Action,! and! the! Stakeholders! Democracy! Network! (SDN).! The! petition! comprises! aintroduction,!a!statement!of!the!facts,!supporting!documents,!submissions!on!each!of!the!claime

rights!violations,!and!reliefs!sought!by!the!Abonnema!Wharf!evictees.!!Thank!you!for!your!urgent!attention!to!this!important!matter.!

!

Sincerely,!!

Megan!Chapman! ! Michael!wemedimo! Celestine!Akpobari! ! Joseph!Croft!

Social'and'Economic' ' Collaborative'Media'' ' Social'Action' ' ' Stakeholders'Rights'Action'Center' ' Advocacy'Project'(CMAP)' [email protected]' Democracy''+234.818.719.6021! ! [email protected]! ! ! ! ! ! Network'(SDN)

+234.1.764.6299!! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !

[email protected]!!! ! !

CC:! Abonnema!Wharf!Waterfront!Evictees,!c/o!Jim!Tom!George!! Chidi!Odinkalu,!Chairman!NHRC!

! Tony!Ojukwu,!Director!of!Protection!and!Investigation,!NHRC


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Petition'Re:'Forced'Eviction'of'Abonnema'Wharf'Waterfront'Community,'27'June2'July'2013' '''''''''''''''' ' '1!of!17!

PETITION'REGARDING'FORCED'EVICTION'OF'ABONNEMA'WHARF'WATERFRONT'

COMMUNITY,'PORT'HARCOURT,'27'JUNE''2'JULY'2013!'

Submitted'by:'

Social!and!Economic!Rights!Action!Center!(SERAC)!

26!September!2013!'

'

'

1.0' INTRODUCTION'

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1.1.! Between!27!June!and!2!July!2012,!the!Rivers!State!Government!demolished!and!forcibly!evicted!thousands!of!residents!of!the!Abonnema!Wharf!Waterfront!community!in!Port!

Harcourt,!Rivers!State.!The!Social!and!Economic!Rights!Action!Center!(SERAC)!stands!as!

Counsel!of!record!to!some!of!the!Abonnema!Wharf!evictees.!We!have!been!instructed!to!file!a!petition!to!the!National!Human!Rights!Commission!(NHRC)!to!seek!an!investigation!

into! and! adjudication! of! the! violation! of! thousands! of! Abonnema! Wharf! Waterfront!

residents! fundamental! and! human! rights! including! the! right! to! fair! hearing,! right! to!housing,!right!to!dignity,!right!to!food,!right!to!work,!right!to!adequate!standard!of!living,!

and!right!to!private!and!family!life.!'

'

2.0! STATEMENT'OF'FACTS'!

! Background+on+Abonnema+Wharf+Waterfront+Community+!

2.1.! Before!the!forced!eviction!of!27!June!!2!July,!2012,!Abonnema!Wharf!Waterfront!was!a!community!once!comprising!of!well!over!63,000!persons!living!in!over!600!structures!most!of!whom!had!for!several!decades!settled!and!lived!therein!when!the!community!

was!still!known!as!Angala!PeleUPoku,!the!fishing!port,!trading!camps!and!settlements!of!

the! Kalabari! Ijaw.! For! over! hundred! years! the! Kalabari! Ijaw! had! been! residing! and!carrying! on! their! farming,! fishing,! seafaring,! timber! transporting,! boat! building,! and!

businesses!in!this!historic!settlement,!which!eventually!took!the!name!Abonnema!Wharf.!!!

2.2.! The!early!settlers!of!their!community!include!Chief!Chief!Ogborutubo!Georgewill,!Chief!

Bagshaw!Yellowe,!Chief! Lulu!WillUBriade,!Chief!Donald!Wokoma,!Elder!Sunday!Egede,!Chief! Dick! TomUBig! Harry,! Elder! Geroge! Suki,! Elder! Jonah! DagogoUJack,! and! Chief!

Queenboy! Egede!West.! Prior! to! their! occupation! of! the! community,! and! many! years!before! the! city! of!Port!Harcourt! came! into! being,! their! forefathers! used! cumbersome!

manual! methods! to! reclaim! the! then! wetlands! and! develop! them! to! a! level! that! is!

adequate!for!human!habitation.!The!historical!facts!are!well!documented!from!the!time!of! the!Eastern!Region!with! reference! to!Gazette!No!38;!Vol.!14!dated!May!13,!1965!at!

pages!B129!to!B132.!The!Rivers!State!of!Nigeria!Official!Gazette,!No!16,!Vol.!13!of!August!

25!1985,!pages!B98!!B99!also!made!reference!to!the!Okrika!Ijaw!Waterfront!Settlement.!!!


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Petition'Re:'Forced'Eviction'of'Abonnema'Wharf'Waterfront'Community,'27'June>2'July'2013' '''''''''''''''' ' '2"of"17"

2.3" The"people"of"Abonnema"Wharf"community"are"peace"loving"and"law>abiding"citizens"of"

Nigeria,"and" to"enhance" the" social" orderliness" for"which" they" are" known," they"put" in"place"leadership"structures"comprising:"the"House"Owners"Association,"the"Community"

Development" Committee" (CDC)," and" youth" and" womens" groups." See" Exhibit' A," a"Certificate"of"CDC"Registration"certifying"the"Abonnema"Wharf"Community"Development"

Committee"as"duly"registered"with"the"Community"Relations"Bureau"in"accordance"with"Decree"4"of"1984"dated"15th"November"2001."

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" Threat'of'Demolition'&'Forced'Eviction'Begins'

"2.4" Sometime" in" August" 2007," during" the" Omehia" administration," Abonnema" Wharf"

residents"learnt"through"the"radio"about"the"Rivers"State"Governments"plans"to"carry"out"an"urban"renewal"exercise"purportedly"designed"to"chase"out"criminals"from"the"city"

and" to" restore" the" garden" city" status" of" Port" Harcourt," which" would" involve"

demolishing" any" structure(s)" perceived" to" be" harbouring" criminals." Following" the"Supreme"Courts" removal" of"Governor"Omehia" from" office," Governor"Rotimi" Amaechi"

assumed"office,"and"shortly"thereafter,"began"to"make"the"same"threats.""

"2.5." The" Rivers" State" Governments" publicly" stated" rationale" for" wanting" to" demolish"

Abonnema"Wharf" changed" repeatedly" over" the" years" between" 2008" and" 2012," from"urban" renewal" to" crime" fighting" to" acquisition" through" a" buy>out" scheme" for" a"

private" purpose," suspected" at" first" to" be" sale" or" handover" to" Silverbird" Showtime"

Limited;"other"private"interests"have"since"emerged,"including"a"Sahara"Oil"Tank"Farm."""

2.6." The"Abonnema"Wharf"waterfront"community"was" thrown" into"panic"and"confusion"by"two" demolitions"on"October" 2008" and" February"2009" in" the" neighbouring" Njemanze"

community"and"along"Abonnema"Wharf"road"that"razed"down"67"houses"starting"from"the"Integrated"Cultural"Center,"Njemanze"Junction,"up"to"the"Shell"Kidney"Island"Gate."325" persons"were" rendered" homeless" as" a" result" of" the" exercise" and," till" date,"most"

property"owners"and"tenants"were"never"compensated"or"resettled"for"the"demolition.""

"2.7." Shortly" after" these" demolitions," the" Rivers" State" Government," without" any" form" of"

consultation"with"Abonnema"Wharf"residents," commissioned"a"private"agency," Ideozu"and"Partners"and"Utchay"Okorji"and"Associates"to"enumerate"and"value"the"remaining"

houses"along"Abonnema"Wharf"road."The"valuers"demanded"and"extorted"money"from"

many" residents" and" attempted" to" induce" property" owners" to" make" clandestine"arrangements" with" them" to" inflate" the" values" of" some" properties." They" also" foisted"

unilaterally"prepared"powers"of"attorney"(POA)"on"the"house"owners"and"landlords.""

2.8." Residents" were" so" infuriated" and" disgusted" by" the" conduct" of" the" valuers" and" the"

manner" in"which" the" valuation"was" conducted," and" as"a" result," petitioned" the" Rivers"State"Government"decrying"the"massive"irregularities"attending"the"exercise.""

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2.9." Following"this"letter"of"protest,"the"then>Special"Adviser"to"the"Rivers"State"Governor"on"Waterfront"Development,"Mr."Theodore"Georgewill"invited"house"owners"to"a"meeting"


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and!promised!them!that!their!houses!will!not!be!demolished.!He!also!appealed!to!them!

to!allow!the!enumeration!exercise!to!continue.!!!!

2.10.! Shortly! thereafter,! residents! were! surprised! to! see! their! own! buildings! marked! for!demolition,!and!several!interest!groups!within!their!community!such!as!the!Abonnema!

Wharf! CDC,! and! the! Abonnema! Wharf! House! Owners! Association,! through! various!means,!sought!audience!with!the!Rivers!State!Government!urging!them!to!reverse!the!planned!demolition!of!their!homes,!churches,!businesses!and!houses.!!

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! Proposal+of+Alternatives+&+Community+Resistance+!

2.11.! The! Abonnema! Wharf! Community! House! Owners! Association! proposed! detailed!alternatives! to! the! waterfront! demolitions! and! submitted! these! to! the! Rivers! State!

Economic!Advisory!Council.!These! submissions!urged! the!Rivers!State!Government! to!

urgently!consider!options!of!in'situ!upgrading!or!sites!and!services!schemes,!and!other!methods!of!ensuring!access!to!affordable!housing!for!all!of!Port!Harcourts!residents.!!

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2.12.! From!12!to!16!March!2009,!the!nited!Nations!HABITAT!(NUHABITAT),!the!Social!and!Economic! Rights! Action! Center! (SERAC)! and! other! concerned! agencies! conducted! a!

multiUstakeholder! factUfinding!mission!to!Port!Harcourt!to!verify!the!threatened!forced!evictions! and! demolitions! in! Port! Harcourt! in! the! context! of! the! Rivers! State!

Governments! onUgoing! urban! development! and! renewal! programme.! The! NU

HABITATs! detailed! analysis! revealed! that! the! demolitions! are! carried! out! in! the!absence!of!the!appropriate!institutional!framework!and!in!arbitrary!application!of!the!

provisions! of! the! States! planning! legislation,! and! accordingly! proffered! a! set! of!recommendations! that! encourages! the! Defendants! to! initiate! a! sustainable! urban!

development! process! in!Port!Harcourt! that! is!based!on!a!balanced!recognition!of! the!need! to! reUestablish! development! control! and! to! respect! the! basic! right! of! all! city!dwellers!to!adequate!housing!and!protection!from!forced!eviction.!See!Exhibit'B!for!a!

copy!of!the!NUHABITAT!report!dated!August!22,!2009.!

!2.13.! As! the! Rivers! State! Government! continued! to! ignore! the! communitys! pleas! for!

consideration!of!alternatives,!they!became!more!determined!to!challenge!the!proposed!demolition!of!their!houses!and!deployed!a!variety!of!peaceful!means!to!ventilate!their!

grievances,!including!protests!by!women!groups!and!neighbouring!communities.!

!2.14.! When!the!Rivers!State!Government!sensed!that! the! level!of!opposition!was!increasing,!

the!Defendants!introduced!the!buy!out!arrangement!under!which!house!owners!were!compelled!to!give!up!their!houses!and!properties!for!sale!to!the!Government.!!

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2.15.! Despite!pressure! from! the! Rivers! State!Government,! community! residents! at!no! time!offered! their! properties! for! sale,! and! neither! did! they! want! to! sell! their! homes,!

properties!and!businesses!for!any!purpose!whatsoever.!!

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2.16.! The!community!did!not!participate!in!the!selection!and!valuation!of!their!properties!by!

the! different! valuers! appointed! by! the! Rivers! State! Government! over! the! years! and!neither!have!they!been!carried!along!in!the!arrangements!affecting!their!community.!!

!! Litigation+to+Restrain+Forced+Eviction+

!2.17.! Because!of!the!Governments!insistence!on!proceeding!with!their!planned!buy!out!and!

demolition!of!the!Abonnema!Wharf!Waterfront!community,!the!community!members!in!

November! 2009! filed! Suit! No.! PHC/2286/2009,! Jim' Tom' George' &' Ors' v.' Executive'

Governor'of'Rivers'State'at!the!Rivers!State!High!Court!in!Port!Harcourt.!!

2.18.! The! Rivers! State!Government!were!duly! served!with! the! originating!processes! in! the!above!case!and,!subsequently,!a!Motion!on!Notice!seeking!interlocutory!injunctions!to!

preserve!the!status!quo,!but!in!clear!contravention!of!the!Rules!of!Procedure!of!the!High!

Court!of!Rivers!State,!the!Government!ignored!and/or!refused!to!respond!for!nearly!two!years.!!Worse,!despite!the!pendency!of!the!suit,!the!Defendants!continued!their!threats!

and!acts!aimed!at!forcing!buy!out!of!homes,!business!places!and!community!facilities.!

!2.19.! After!nearly! two!years,! on!November! 11,!2011,! the!Court!made! an! Ex! Parte!Order!of!

Interim!Injunction!restraining!the!Rivers!State!Government!from!carrying!out!the!threat!to!demolish!and!forcefully!evict!the!landlords,!residents,!tenants!and!property!owners!of!

Abonnema! Waterfront! Community,! pending! the! determination! of! the! Motion! for!

Interlocutory!Injunction,!to!be!heard!November!18,!2011!for!hearing.!!!

2.20.! The! Order! was! promptly! served! on! the! Rivers! State! Government,! whereupon! it!hurriedly! commenced! a! flurry! of! activities! filing! one! process! after! the! other,!

withdrawing! and! replacing! two! processes! they! initially! filed! in!NovemberUDecember!2011!with!a!Motion!on!Notice!dated!March!9!2012!seeking,! inter'alia,!an!order!vacating!the!Ex!Parte!Order!of!November!11,!2011,!or!in!the!alternative,!an!Order!extending!time!

to!file!and!serve!their!statement!of!defence!and!accompanying!processes.!

!2.21.! Because! of! all! the! delay! caused! by! the! filing! of! these! processes,! on! March! 13,! 2012,!

Counsel! to! the! Claimants! prudently! prayed! the! Court! for! another! Order! of! Interim!Injunction!for!the!preservation!of!the!res!pending!the!hearing!of!the!Motion!on!Notice.!

However,! Counsel! to! the! Rivers! State! Government! stridently! denial! of! any! threat! of!

demolition!of!any!structures!within!the!Abonnema!Wharf!Community,!and!insisted!that!the!Claimants!were!merely!crying!wolf!and!had!obtained!the!Order!of!Interim!Injunction!

under!false!alarm.!The!Court!therefore!declined!to!grant!the!Claimants!prayer.!!

2.22.! Sometime!in!May!2012,!some!community!members!were!summoned!by!text!message!to!

a!Meeting!of!Stakeholders,! at!which! certain! community!members!were! informed!of! a!unilaterally! determined! compensation! scheme! that! was! to! be! foisted! upon! certain!

property!owners!under!the!buyUout!scheme.!

!2.23.! The! Rivers! State!Government! representatives! at!the!meeting!dismissed! the! issue!of!a!

pending!suit!with!a!wave!of!the!hand!and!the!meeting!ended!in!a!stalemate!due!to!the!


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Governments! fixed! posture! on! the! issues! of! demolition! and! compensation.! ! The!

Government! message! to! those! present! was! that! they! had! no! choice! but! to! accept!whatever!amount!had!been!determined!as! compensation!through!unilateral! valuation!

process!because!Abonnema!Wharf!would!be!demolished!one!way!or!the!other.!!

2.24.! Although! some! people! succumbed! to! the! Governments! threats! and! intimidation! and!accepted!to!be!paid! compensation! in!an!amount! they!did!not!even!have!the!benefit!of!knowing!in!advance!of!their!consent,!many!continued!to!steadfastly!refuse.!

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2.25.! According! to!the!Amnesty! International!report!on!the!demolition!of!Abonnema!Wharf,!On'17'May'2012'RSG'convened'a'meeting'to'inform'Abonnema'Wharf'residents'about'the'

compensation' process' and' the' planned' demolition' afterwards,' they' also' broadcast' this'

information'over'the'radio.''RSG'authorities'announced'that'house'demolitions'would'not'

take' place' until' all' landlords' were' compensated' and' any' queries' were' resolved,' and'

residents'given'notice'to'relocate.'According'to'radio'announcements'by'RSG,'one'months'

notice' would' be' given'after' completion' of' the' compensation' process.' In' June' 2012,' the'

government'started'paying'compensation'to'landlords'in'the'community.!

!' Demolition+and+Forced+Eviction+

!2.25.! At! approximately! 7! a.m.! on! 27! June! 2012,! agents! of! the! Rivers! State! Government!

descended! on! the! Abonnema! Wharf! Waterfront! community,! demolished! homes,!

businesses!and!community!facilites!indiscriminately,!without!notice!or!time!for!owners!or!residents!to!collect!their!belongings,!and!regardless!of!whether!or!not!the!owners!had!

been!compensated!or!had!even!accepted!the!purported!buyUout!scheme.!!!

2.26.! The! bulldozers! and! caterpillars! mobilized! by! the! Government! operated! continuously!over!the!following!days!until!2!July!2012,!reducing!the!entire!community!to!rubble!and!leaving!behind!only!a!single!threeUstory!building,!which!used!to!be!a!hotel!and,!since!the!

demolition,! is! being! used! to! house! security! personnel.! See! Exhibit' C! for! several!

newspaper!articles!about!the!demolition!from!Vanguard,!Tide!News,!National!Network!Newspaper,! and! Exhibit' D! for! several! photographs! taken! by! community! members!

during!the!demolition!of!Abonnema!Wharf!and!its!aftermath,!further!evidencing!the!use!of!bulldozers!and!the!total!destruction!of!the!Abonnema!Wharf!community.!

!

! Total'Absence'of'Notice'!

2.27.! At! no! time! at! or! after! the!May! 2012! meeting!was! there! any! notice! of! a! planned! or!scheduled!demolition!to!affected!persons!in! the!Abonnema!Wharf!community.!Instead,!

on!the! two! nights! prior!to! the! demolition,! the! Government!staged! a! series! of!gunfire!

incidents! in! the! community! and! subsequently! used! the! excuse! of! fighting! crime! to!justify!their!unannounced!entry!into!and!complete!destruction!of!Abonnema!Wharf.!On!

27!June!and!repeatedly!throughout!the!several!days!of!demolition,!Governor!Amaechi!

made!public!statements!on!air!that!he!had!been!informed!of!a!shootUout!in!Abonnema!Wharf!and,!as!a!consequence,!he!had!to!order!the!demolition!of!structures!involved.!

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2.28.! What!is!worse,!these!announcements!that!premised!the!demolition!on!crime!fighting!

misled!many!residents!into!thinking,!at!least!for!a!short!time,!that!their!structures!might!not!be!demolished.!Further,!the!timing!of!the!sudden!demolition!commencing!27!June!

2012!contradicted!the!commitments!made!by!the!Rivers!State!Government!in!a!series!of!public! announcements! via! radio! that! the! buyUout! process!would! conclude! first! and!

everyone!would!then!be!given!a!months!notice!before!any!demolition!would!take!place.!!!! Unnecessary'Deprivation'of'Liberty'

!

2.28.! On!26!June!2012,!the!day!before!the!demolition,!at!least!120!young!men!and!women!in!the!Abonnema!Wharf!community!were!arrested!and!detained!for!several!days!while!the!

demolition!went!on,!depriving!them!of!the!opportunity!to!rescue!their!possessions!and!leaving!their!wives,!mothers,!sisters!and!children!without!defence!or!assistance.!!

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2.29.! When!these!young!men!were!released!on!28th!or!29th!of!June!2012,! they!found!their!homes! demolished! and! themselves! homeless.! Most! of! these! young! men! and! women!

were!never!charged!to!court.!As!for!the!few!who!were!charged!to!court,!the!Director!of!

Public!Prosecution!(DPP)!in!August!2012!issued!a!legal!advice!that!there!was!insufficient!evidence!to!charge!any!of!the!25!persons.!Consequently,!the!court!on!3!September!2012!

struck!the!matter!out,!further!evidencing!that!these!young!men!and!women!were!falsely!accused!and!arrested!only!to!facilitate!the!demolition.!!See! Exhibit'E!for!a!certified!true!

copy!of!the!DPPs!legal!advice!and!judgment!striking!out!the!criminal!matters.!!

!! Violence,'Intimidation'and'Deaths'

!2.30.! Both!the!raid!of!the!community!on!26!June!and!the!demolitions!that!commenced!on!27!

June!were!characterized!by!excessive! violence,!with!members!of!the! Joint!Task!Force!(Operation! Polo! Shield)! and! heavily! armed!mobile! policemen! who! used! horsewhips,!teargas!and!the!butts!of!their!guns!to!harass,!maim,!beat,!physically!assault!and!brutalize!

fleeing! residents! who! attempted! to! rescue! some! of! their! belongings! and! prized!

possessions.!Hired!cultists!guided!the!bulldozers!that!carried!out!the!demolition.!!!

2.31.! At!least! four!people! died!as!a!direct! result! of!the! demolition!exercise,! including! (1)! a!sevenUdaysUold!baby!girl!who!died!from!teargas!thrown!into!the!community;!(2)!an!old!

woman!in!her!seventies,!who!was!forced!to!sleep!in!a!damaged!taxi!after!the!demolition!

and!died!there;!(3)!a!young!man!who!was!beaten!and!intimidated!by!security!forces!by!the!jetty!and!was!forced!to!jump!into!the!water,!where!he!drowned;!and!(4)!and!Madam!

Blessing!Briggs,!who!died!because!of!the!shock!of!the!demolition.!!

! Absence'of'Alternatives'or'Emergency'Shelter'

!2.32! The!Rivers! State!Government!made! no! provision! for! emergency! shelter! or! any! other!

form! of! relief! to! the! evictees! of! the! Abonnema! Wharf! community,! including! many!

women! and! children,! who! have! accordingly! been! pushed! further! into! poverty.!Many!evictees! of! Abonnema! Wharf! were! forced! immediately! after! the! demolition! to! take!

refuge! in!nearby! churches!and!uncompleted!buildings.!Many!children!have! fallen! sick!


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since!the!demolitions!due!to!excessive!exposure!to!cold,!mosquito!bites,!and!gruesome!

environmental!health!hazards.!Women,!who!often!worked!as!petty!traders!and!were!the!primary!breadwinners!for!their!families,!have!particularly!felt!the!negative!impact.!

!! Forced'into'Accepting!Inadequate'Compensation!

!2.33.! In!the!aftermath!of!the!demolition!of!Abonnema!Wharf!community!and!the!eviction!of!its!

residents,!some!who!were!offered!compensation!had!no!choice!but!to!accept!the!paltry!

sums!so!as!to!meet!their!immediate!needs!for!shelter,!food,!school!fees,!etcetera,!after!

losing! everything.! Taking! compensation! under! such! coercion! was! not! because! they!wanted!to!sell!or!leave!their!homes!or!because!the!amounts!offered!were!acceptable!or!

adequate!compensation.!!!

! No'Compensation'or'Resettlement'for'Tenants'and'Others'

!2.34.! Many!others!were!never!offered!or!never!received!any! compensation! at!all.!First,! the!

only! compensation! offered! or! paid! was! under! the! Governments! buyUout! scheme,!

which! benefited! only! landlords! or! structure! owners.! There!was! no!compensation! for!losses!suffered!by!tenants!or!any!resettlement!offered.!Second,!this!compensation!was!

based!only! on! a! unilateral! valuation! done! by! a! GovernmentUhired!valuer;! it!was! not!subject!to!negotiation!or!consultation!with!affected!persons.!Further,!it!was!not!aimed!at!

compensating! any! additional! harm!suffered!due! to! the! sudden! demolition! and! forced!

eviction.!Community!members!are!compiling!a!register!of!all!those!persons!who!were!affected!by!the!demolition!and!have!received!no!compensation,!including!a!detailed!list!

of!the!losses!and!quantifiable!harms!suffered!by!each,!to!be!submitted!to!the!NHRC.!!

! Aftermath+of+Demolition+&+Forced+Eviction+!2.35.! The! violent! demolition! and! forced! eviction! of! the! Abonnema! Wharf! community! and!

ensuing! fundamental! and! human! rights! violations! have! been! widely! condemned! by!

human! rights! organizations.! See! Exhibit' F! for! a! detailed! report! by! Amnesty!International!on!the!demolition!of!Abonnema!Wharf,!considering!it!a!forced!eviction.!!

!2.36.! The! National! Human! Rights! Commission! also! announced! it! was! initiating! an!

investigation!into!the!demolition!of!Abonnema!Wharf!and!the!attendant!human!rights!

violations.!See!Exhibit'G!for!a!news!article!from!The'Nation!in!which!the!Chairman!of!the!National! Human!Rights! Commission! expressed! concern! over! human! rights! violations!

during!the!demolition!and!forced!eviction!of!Abonnema!Wharf!residents.!!!

2.37.! After!the!demolition!and!forced!eviction,!the!Defendants!stationed!policemen!and!other!

security!agencies!in!the!community!who!harassed!former!residents!whenever!they!come!within!a!certain!distance!to!prevent!them!from!regaining!possession!of!their!lands.!!

!

2.38.!! Since! December! 2012,! the! entire! Abonnema! Wharf! community! has! been! fenced! to!enable!the!Rivers!State!Government!to!perfect!their!plan!of!unlawfully!taking!possession!

of!the!communitys!land!by!force!and!for!no!known!overriding!public!purpose.!!


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! Ongoing+Litigation+and+Continuing+Fair+Hearing+Violations+

'

2.39.! On! 2! July! 2012,! the! final! day! of! the! demolition! of! Abonnema!Wharf!Waterfront,! the!

above!referenced!court!case!came!up!before!the!Rivers!State!High!Court.!Counsel!to!the!Claimants!urgently! informed! the! presiding! judge!that! subject!matter! of! litigation!was!

being! destroyed.! Counsel! for! the! Rivers! State! Government! denied! the! fact! and! the!presiding!judge,!whose!courtroom!sits!less!than!a!mile!from!Abonnema!Wharf,!denied!knowledge! and! refused! to! take! judicial! notice! of! the! fact! of! ongoing! demolition! or!

sanction!the!Defendants!who!had!so!brazenly!taken!the!law!into!their!own!hands.!

!2.40.! Since!the!total!destruction!of!Abonnema!Wharf!and!the!forced!eviction!of!its!inhabitants,!

the!court!case!has!dragged!on!from!one!miscarriage!of!justice!to!another.!Counsel!to!the!Claimants!brought!a!new!application!for!interlocutory!injunction!!the!first!never!having!

been!heard!or!ruled!upon!for!over!two!and!a!half!years.!The!new!application!prayed!for!

interlocutory! injunction! to! restrain! the! Rivers! State! Government! from! developing,!subdividing,!selling!or!otherwise!making!use!of!the!cleared!land!at!Abonnema!Wharf.!On!

24! August! 2013! this! application! was! dismissed! in! a! lengthy! ruling! that,! inter' alia,!

reasoned! that! the! demolition! of! Abonnema! Wharf! during! the! pendency! of! the! case!meant! to!restrain! the! same!was! a! completed! act;! and! that!money!damages!would!be!

more!than!sufficient!to!compensate!any!harm!the!Claimants!might!suffer.!See! Exhibit'H!for!a!copy!of!this!ruling,!against!which!Claimants!have!commenced!the!appeals!process.!!

!

2.41.! The!conduct!of!the!Rivers!State!Government!as!Defendants!in!and!outside!the!present!suit!has!been!unconscionable!!clearly!designed!to!wear!out!the!Claimants!and!exhaust!

their! resources.! As!mentioned! above,! it! took! nearly! two! years! for! the! Defendants! to!register!an!appearance!and!exactly!two!years!for!them!to!file!any!process!in!response.!

On!numerous!occasions,!they!have!served!outUofUtime!processes!on!the!Counsel!to!the!Claimants!at!a!hearing!on!the!matter,!necessitating!an!adjournment.!At!no!time!has!this!pattern!of!behavior!been!chastised!or!penalized!by!the!presiding!judge,!evidencing!lack!

of!independence!or!impartiality!and!resulting!in!undue!delay!to!the!Claimants!!a!further!

rights!violation!upon!all!the!others!already!suffered!through!the!forced!eviction.!!'

'

3.0' ISSUE'FOR'DETERMINATION'

!

Whether'the'demolition'of'Abonnema'Wharf'Waterfront'community'does'not'constitute'a'

forced'eviction'with'attendant'violations'of'the'fundamental'and'human'rights'of' former'

residents'of'the'community,'including'the'right'to'adequate'housing/shelter,'property,'due'

process,'liberty,'privacy'in'the'home,'livelihood,'as'guaranteed'under'the'1999'Constitution'

of'the'Federal'Republic'of'Nigeria,'the'African'Charter'of'Human'and'Peoples'Rights,'the'

International'Covenant'on'Economic'Social'and'Cultural'Rights,'among'other'regional'and'

international'instruments'ratified'by'the'Federal'Republic'of'Nigeria.'

!

!!

!


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4.0' SUBMISSIONS'REGARDING'VIOLATIONS'OF'FUNDAMENTAL'HUMAN'RIGHTS'

'

!

4.1! As!detailed!above,! the!27!June!!2!July!2012!demolitions!were!carried!out!with!a!total!absence! of! protections,! such! as! adequate! notice,! consultation,! compensation! and!

resettlement.!Further,!the!demolitions!resulted!in!the!deaths!of!at!least!four!displaced!residents! of! the! Abonnema!Wharf! Waterfront! community.! Immediately! prior! to! the!demolitions,! over! 100! persons!were! unlawfully! arrested! and! detained,! most! without!

every!being! charged.!The!demolitions! resulted! in! the!destruction!and!loss!of!valuable!

property!of!thousands!of!residents!who!were!also!rendered!homeless!and!left!to!live!in!on!the!streets,!without!any!due!process!of!law.!Meanwhile,!the!demolitions!threaten!the!

livelihoods!of!many!members!of!the!Abonnema!Wharf!Waterfront!community.!!

4.2! We! respectfully! submit! that,! in! light! of! the! facts! detailed! above,! the! demolition! of!

Abonnema!Wharf! constitutes! a! forced! eviction! in! violation!of!numerous! international!and! regional! human! rights! instruments! to! which! Nigeria! is! party.! Further,! the! facts!

amount! to!numerous!other!violations!of! the!Abonnema!Wharf!Waterfront!community!

residents!fundamental!and!human!rights!guaranteed!under!the!1999!Constitution!of!the!Federal!Republic!of!Nigeria,!the!African!Charter!of!Human!and!Peoples!Rights,!and!the!

International!Covenant!on!Economic,!Social!and!Cultural!Rights,!among!others.!!

4.3! We!now!address!each!fundamental!and!human!rights!violation!in!turn.!For!each!of!these!

violations,! members! of! the! Abonnema! Wharf! Waterfront! community! approach! the!National!Human!Rights!Commission!for!redress!by!way!of!declaratory!and!other!reliefs.!

!! Forced'Eviction'/'Violation'of'Right'to'Shelter'or'Adequate'Housing'

!4.4! The!Abonnema!Wharf!Waterfront! community!submits! that! the!27! June! !2! July! 2012!

demolitions!of!their!homes!is!a!forced+eviction!in!violation!of!their! right+to+adequate+

housing+or+shelter!that!derives,!inter'alia,!from!Article!11.1!of!the!ICESCR,!Articles!14,!

16,!18!of!the!African!Charter!(as!domesticated),!and!the!1999!Constitution.!!!

4.5! Article!11.1!of!the!ICESCR!states!that!all!parties!to!the!ICESCR!must!recognize!the!right!of!everyone!to!an!adequate!standard!of!living!for!himself!and!his!family,!including!

adequate!food,!clothing!and!housing,!and!to!the!continuous!improvement!of!living!

conditions.!The!States!Parties!will!take!appropriate!steps!to!ensure!the!realization!of!this!right,!recognizing!to!this!effect!the!essential!importance!of!international!coUoperation!

based!on!free!consent.!!

4.6! The!N!Committee!on!Economic,!Social!and!Cultural!Rights,!the!body!of!independent!

experts!established!to!interpret!the!ICESCR!and!monitor!state!parties!compliance,!has!further!elaborated!the!normative!contents!of!the!right!to!adequate!housing.!The!

Committee!provides!authoritative!interpretation!of!the!content!of!the!right!to!adequate!

housing!and!the!obligations!of!states!in!General!Comment!4!(on!the!right!to!adequate!housing)!and!General!Comment!7!(on!forced!evictions).!!

!


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4.7.! In!its!General!Comment!7,!the!Committee!defines!a!forced!eviction!as!the'permanent'or'

temporary'removal'against'their'will'of'individuals,'families'and/or'communities'from'the'

homes'and/or'land'which'they'occupy,'without'the'provision'of,'and'access'to,'appropriate'

forms'of'legal'or'other'protection.!!

4.8! As!summarized!in!a!recent!joint!report!by!SERAC!and!Amnesty!International,1!The'Committee'has'emphasized'that'evictions'may'only'be'carried'out'as'a'last'resort'and'only'

after'all'feasible'alternatives'to'eviction'have'been'explored'in'genuine'consultation'with'

the'affected'people.'It'has'clarified'that'evictions'can'only'be'carried'out'when'appropriate'

procedural'protections'are'in'place.'These'include:!!

an'opportunity'for'genuine'consultation'with'those'affected;' adequate'and'reasonable'notice'for'affected'people'prior'to'the'eviction' information'on'the'proposed'evictions'and,'where'applicable,'on'the'alternative'purpose' for'which' the' land' or' housing' is' to' be' used,' to' be'made'available' in'reasonable'time'to'all'those'affected;'

'

government'officials'or'their'representatives'to'be'present'during'an'eviction;' everyone'involved'in'carrying'out'the'eviction'be'properly'identified;' evictions' not' to'take'place'in'particularly' bad'weather'or'at'night'unless' the'

affected'people'consent'otherwise;'

'

provision'of'legal'remedies;' provision,'where' possible,' of' legal' aid' to' people'who' are' in' need'of' it' to' seek'redress'from'the'courts;''

'

provision' of' adequate' alternative' housing' to' those' who' cannot' provide' for'themselves;'and''

'

compensation'for'all'losses.'!

4.9! The! facts! of! the! 27! June! ! 2! July! 2012! demolitions! at! Abonnema!Wharf!Waterfront,!described!above,!demonstrate!the!Rivers!State!Governments!failure!to!put!in!place!the!

above!procedural!protections.!Notably,!despite!the!many!years!during!which!the!Rivers!State!Government!threatened!demolition!of!the!community!and!planned!for!the!forced!

buyUout,!the!actual!demolition!came!as!a!total!surprise,!without!any!consultation!with!or!

notice! to! affected! persons! who! suddenly! found! themselves! homeless.! What!compensation!was! paid!was! only!offered! to! landlords! and! only!based!on!a!unilateral!

valuation! of! their! properties,!with! no! provision! for! other! harms! suffered! due! to! the!

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1!This!framework!is!taken!from!If!You!Love!Your!Life,!Move!Out:!Forced!Eviction!in!Badia!East,!Lagos!State,!

Nigeria,!Amnesty!International!and!Social!and!Economic!Rights!Action!Center!(K:!August,!2013).!!


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sudden!nature! of!the!demolition.!There!was! no!compensation! or!alternative! shelter!!

emergency!or!otherwise!!made!available!to!tenants!who!were!rendered!homeless.!!!

4.10! Such!an!eviction,!without!such!safeguards!as!genuine!consultation,!notice,!compensation!for!all!losses!and!provision!of!alternatives,!clearly!constitutes!a!forced!eviction.!This!is!

further!underscored!by! the! Rivers! State!Governments! willingness! to!proceed!with! a!demolition! in!utter!disregard! for! pending! litigation! by!which! residents! of!Abonnema!Wharf! had! attempted! to! protect! themselves! through! access! to! legal! remedies.! We!

respectfully!urge!the!National!Human!Rights!Commission!to!so!hold.!!

!4.11! Beyond! constituting! a! forced! eviction! in! violation! of! Article! 11.1! of! the! ICESCR,! the!

circumstances!described!above!also!violate!the!right!to!shelter/housing!implicit!in!the!African!Charter!on!Human!and!Peoples!Rights!and!the!1999!Constitution.!In!SERAC+v.+

Nigeria,! Communication' 155/96,! the! African! Commission! found! that! the! combined!

effect!of!Articles!14!(right!to!property),!16!(right!to!family!life),!and!18!(right!to!health)!of!the!African!Charter!on!Human!and!Peoples!Rights,!read!together,!forbids!the!wanton!

destruction!of! shelter!because!when!housing!is!destroyed,!property,!health,!and!family!

life!are!adversely!affected.!Based!on!this!reasoning,!the!Commission!found!destruction!of!homes!to!constitute!a!violation!of!an!implicit!right!to!shelter!or!housing.!!

!4.12! There!is!also!ample!support!in!the!1999!Constitution!to!find!a!right!to!shelter!or!housing.!

The! 1999!Constitution! contains!the! same! fundamental!rights! from!which! the! right!to!

shelter!or!housing!derives!in!the!African!Charter,!to!wit!the!rights!to!property!contained!in!Sections!43!and!44!the!right!to!privacy!in!Section!37.!These!rights!can!be!read!in!light!

of! Chapter! II,! Section! 14(2)(d)! of! the! Constitution,!which!states! that! the! Government!shall!direct!its!policies!toward!the!provision!of!suitable!and!adequate!shelter.!!

!4.13! We!respectfully!urge!the!National!Human!Rights!Commission!to!adopt!the!same!line!of!

reasoning!as!the!learned!African!Commission,!finding!the!right!to!housing!and!shelter!

implicit!in!these!provisions!of!the!Nigerian!Constitution!and!finding!that!the!same!right!

has!been!violated!by!the!Rivers!State!Governments!27!June!!2!July!2012!demolitions!carried!out!in!the!Abonnema!Wharf!Waterfront!community.!!

!' Violations+of+Right+to+Acquire+and+Own+Property+

'

4.14! In!the!course!of!the!Rivers!State!Governments!total!demolition!and!forced!buyUout!of!Abonnema!Wharf!Waterfront!community,! thousands!of!persons!rights! to!acquire!and!

own! property! were! affected! through! the! forcible! taking! and/or! destruction! of! their!homes,! business! places! and! community! structures.! Due! to! the! lack! of! notice,! most!

residents!also!lost!valuable!belongings!that!were!inside!the!structures.!

!4.15! We!submit!that!the!forced!acquisition!and!demolition!of!homes,!business!premises,!and!

community!facilities,!causing!largeUscale!loss!of!property!without!due!process,!adequate!

compensation!or!a!demonstrated!public!need,!is!a!violation!of!the!constitutional!right!to!acquire!and!own!both!movable!and!immovable!property!guaranteed!under!Sections!43!


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&!44(1)!(a!&!b)!of!the!1999!Constitution!and!the!human!rights!guaranteed!by!Articles!14!

&!21!of!the!African!Charter!and!other!instruments!to!which!Nigeria!is!party.!!

4.16! The! Nigerian! Constitution! guarantees! all! individuals! without! discrimination! or!qualification,!the! right!to!acquire!and! own!property!and! to! freely! use! and! enjoy!such!

property!without! interference.! Specifically,! Sections!43! and! 44!of! the! Constitution! of!Nigeria!provide!that:!

!

43.' ' Subject' to' the' provisions' of' this' Constitution,' every'citizen' of'Nigeria'

shall'have' the' right'to'acquire'and' own' immovable' property'anywhere' in'

Nigeria.'

'

44.' ' (1)'No' moveable' property' or' any' interest' in' an' immovable' property'

shall'be'taken'possession'of'compulsorily'and'no'right'over'or'interest'in'any'

such'property'shall'be'acquired'compulsorily'in'any'part'of'Nigeria'except'in'

the' manner' and' for' the' purpose' prescribed' by' a' law' that,' among' other'

things'

'

(a)'Requires'the'prompt'payment'of'compensation'thereof'and'

'

(b)'Gives'to'any'person'claiming'such'compensation'a'right'of'access'

for'the'determination'of'his'interest'in'the'property'and'the'amount'

of' compensation' to' a' court' of' law' or' tribunal' or' body' having'

jurisdiction'in'that'part'of'Nigeria.'

!4.17! We!submit!that!the!combined! force!of!Sections!43!and!44!of!the!Nigerian!Constitution!

ensure! the! sanctity! of! all! property,! both!movable! and! immovable,! by!prohibiting! the!taking!of!such!property!without!cover!of!law,!compensation,!and!access!to!the!courts.!!By!implication,!Section!44!reaffirms!the!right!to!own,!possess,!use!and!enjoy!both!movable!

and! immovable! property,! since! without! such! rights! there! would! be! no! need! for! a!

prohibition!on!the! taking! of!property.! ! These!protections!are! also!consistent!with! the!common! law! conception! of! property,! which! has! long! recognized! that! the! right! to!

property!includes!the!right!to!use!and!enjoyment,!to!the!exclusion!of!all!others.!!

4.18! The!protections!offered!by!Section!44!of!the!Constitution!are!broad,!covering!all!types!of!

property!and!any!form!of!interest.!!As!such,!these!protections!extend!not!only!to!land,!but!also!to!immovable!property,!such!as!buildings!and!fixed!structures,!and!to!moveable!

property,! including! household! items.! Consequently,! forced! evictions! and! demolitions!prima' facie! violates! the! constitutional! right! to! property,! regardless! of! whether! the!

individual!whose!home!is!demolished!had!title!to!the!land,!because,!at!a!minimum,!they!

result!in!the!destruction!of!housing!materials!and!household!goods.!!

4.19! These!constitutional!requirements!are!buttressed!and!informed!by!Articles!14!and!16!of!

the!African!Charter,!which!is!binding!law!in!Nigeria!under!Section!12!of!the!Constitution.'Article!14!of!the!African!Charter!guarantees!the!right!to!property!and!provides!that!it!

may!only!be!encroached!upon!in!the!interest!of!public!need!or!in!the!general!interest!of!


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the!community!and!in!accordance!with!the!provisions!of!appropriate!laws.!Article!21(2)!

also! provides! relief! if! Article! 14! is! violated:! In! case! of! spoliation! the! dispossessed!people! shall! have! the! right! to! the! lawful! recovery! of! its! property! as! well! as! to! an!

adequate! compensation.! As! was! recently! confirmed! by! the! African! Commission! on!Human! and! Peoples! Rights! (African!Commission)! in! the! Centre+ for+ Minority+Rights+

Development+ (Kenya)+ and+ Minority+ Rights+ Group+ International+ on+ behalf+ of+Endorois+Welfare+Council+Vs.+Kenya,!Communication!No.!276!/!2003:'

!

[T]he'test'laid'out'in'Article'14'of'the'Charter'is''conjunctive,'that'is,'in'order'

for'an'encroachment'not'to'be'in'violation'of'Article'14,' it'must'be'proven'

that' the' encroachment' was' in' the' interest' of' the' public' need/general'

interest' of' the' community' and' was' carried' out' in' accordance' with'

appropriate'law.'

!

4.20! Thus,!the!African!Charter!reiterates!the!right!to!compensation!already!guaranteed!by!the!Nigerian! Constitution,! adding! the! requirement! that! such! compensation! be! not! only!

prompt,!but!also!adequate.!The!African!Charter!also!reiterates!that!the!taking!of!property!

must! be! in' accordance' with' the' provisions' of' appropriate' laws,! which! reinforces! the!guarantee!in!the!Nigerian!Constitution!that!a!person!affected!by!the!taking!of!property!

must!have!access!to!a!court!of!law!for!the!determination!of!compensation.!We!submit!that! adequate! compensation! must! not! only! compensate! the! affected! persons! for! the!

value!of!the!property!taken!or!destroyed,!but!also!the!other!harms!they!may!suffer!as!a!

consequence!of!having!their!property!taken/destroyed!by!Government.!!

4.21! Finally,!the!African!Charter!supplements!the!overriding!public!purpose!requirement!in!the!Land!se!Act,!stating!that!the!right!to!property!!any!form!of!property!!may!only!be!

encroached!in!the!interest!of!public'need!or!in!the!general!interest!of!the!community.!We!submit!that,!for!this!court!to!determine!that!a!taking!of!property!is!justified!by!such!a'public'need'or'the'general'interest'of'the'community,!the!Government!must!demonstrate!

that! measured! in! the! balance! of! equity,! the! urgency! of! the! public! need! or! and! the!

importance!of!the!general!interest!outweighs!the!harm!suffered!by!the!persons!who!are!deprived!of!their!property!and!thus!are!most!immediately!affected.!This!calculation!must!

take!into!consideration!the!other!rights!guaranteed!by!the!Constitution!and!the!African!Charter!that!are!also!at!stake.!Moreover,!the!Governments!proposed!action!should!be!

evaluated!in!light!of!both!equity!and!the!directive!principles!enshrined!in!the!Chapter!II!

of!the!Nigerian!Constitution,!including!provision!of!suitable!and!adequate!shelter!under!Section!16(2),!the!provision!of!public!assistance!to!those!in!need!under!Section!17(3)(g),!

the! promotion! of! family! life! under! Section! 17(3)(h),! and! as! a! primary! purpose! of!Government!under!Section!14(2)(b),!the!peoples!security!and!welfare.!

!

4.22! Such!interpretation!of!Article!14!is!in!line!with!the!reasoning!of!the!African!Commission,!which!in!the! Endorois+Welfare+Center+Vs.+Kenya!(Supra)!at!paragraph!214,!held!that!

any!limitations!on!rights!must!be!proportionate!to!a!legitimate!need,!and!should!be!the!

least!restrictive!measures!possible.!Applying!the!public!interest!test!under!Article!14!to!find!that!Kenyas!displacement!of!the!Endorois!community!was!disproportionate!to!

the! public! interest! asserted,! the! Commission! linked! this! test! to! the! effect! the!


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displacement! had! on! the! claimants! right! to! life! and! livelihood! and! the! principles! of!

human!dignity.!It!noted,!moreover,!that!if!the!Government!had!demonstrated!!!

a' legitimate' aim' [that]' served' a' public' need,' it' could' have' been'

accomplished' by' alternative' means' proportionate' to' the' need.' From' the'

evidence'submitted'both'orally'and'in'writing,'it'is'clear'that'the'community'was' willing' to' work' with' the' Government' in' a' way' that' respected' their'

property'rights.'

!

4.23! The!summary!demolition!of!homes,!business!premises,! community! structures,!causing!loss! of! immovable! property! and! movable! property! contained! therein,! without! due!

process! of! law,! is! a! clear! violation! of! the! right! to! property! under! the! Nigerian!Constitution! and! the! African! Charter.! In! order! to! take! property,! whether! through!

compulsory!acquisition,!destruction!or!otherwise,!and!not!run!afoul!of! the!Constitution!

and! its! international! human! rights! obligations,! the! Rivers! State! Government! must!proceed! only! in! accordance!with! appropriate! law! and! with! available! recourse! to! the!

courts! of! law,! with! payment! of! prompt! and! adequate! compensation,! and! for!

demonstrated!public!need!and!in!the!general!interest!of!the!community.!!!

4.24! Without!taking!such!steps!in!the!course!of!forceful!acquisition!!and!by!further!carrying!out!a!surprise!demolition!without!enabling!!affected!persons!to!remove!or!protect!the!

movable! properties! ! the! Rivers! State! Government! violated! the! property! rights! of!

thousands!of!members!of!the!Abonnema!Wharf!Waterfront!community.!We!respectfully!urge!the!National!Human!Rights!Commission!to!so!hold.!

'

Violations+of+Right+to+Fair+Hearing+/+Due+Process+

!4.25! We!submit!that!the!procedures!employed!by!the!Rivers!State!Government!in!the!27!June!

! 2! July! 2012! demolition! of! the! Abonnema!Wharf!Waterfront! do! not!meet! even! the!

minimum! requirements! of! due+ process! under! Section! 36! of! the! Constitution,! as! are!

necessary!in!a!democratic!state!to!limit!the!power!of!government!visUUvis!its!people,!or!other! fair! hearing! guarantees! enshrined! in! the! various! international! and! regional!

instruments! to!which!Nigeria! is! party.! Additionally,!we!submit! that! those!Abonnema!Wharf!residents!who!went!to!court!in!order!to!restrain!the!demolition!and!forced!buyU

out! by! Rivers! State! Government! have! faced! numerous! fair! hearing! violations! ! first!

through! the! abusive! litigation! tactics! employed! by! the! Rivers! State! Government! as!Defendant!and,!second,!through!the!undue!delay!occasioned!by!the!proceedings!and!lack!

of!independence!/!impartiality!amply!demonstrated!by!the!presiding!judge.!!!

! Due'Process'Attendant'to'the'Acquisition'of'Land'/'Forced'Evictions'

!4.26! As! detailed! in! the! statement!of! facts,! there!was! no! notice! of! a! planned! or! scheduled!

demolition!to!affected!persons!in!the!Abonnema!Wharf!community.!Instead,!on!the!two!

nights!prior!to!the!demolition,!the!Government!staged!a!series!of!gunfire!incidents!in!the!community! and! subsequently! used! the! excuse! of! fighting! crime! to! justify! their!

unannounced! entry! into! and! complete! destruction! of! Abonnema! Wharf.! Worse,! as!


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detailed!above,!the!timing!of!the!demolition!contradicted!the!commitments!made!by!the!

Rivers!State!Government!in!a!series!of!public!announcements!via!radio!and!in!meetings!to!landlords!and!residents!regarding!the!buyUout!process.!

!4.27! Section! 36! of! the! Constitution! establishes! the! standards! of! due! process! required! in!

criminal!and! civil!proceedings!before! courts! of! law! or!duly! constituted!tribunals,! and!also! in! administrative! proceedings! by! the! executive! branch.! We! submit! that! the!demolition!carried!out!by!the!Rivers!State!Government!is!best!characterized!as! quasi

criminal,!in!that!it!was!explicitly!tied!to!accusations!of!criminal!activity!in!the!Abonnema!

Wharf!Waterfront!community.!Due!process!in!a!criminal!proceeding!includes!numerous!guarantees!under!Section!36(4)U(11),!including!the!right!to!adequate!and!detailed!notice!

of!the!nature!of!the!offence!and!adequate!time!to!prepare!ones!defense,!a!fair!and!public!trial,!representation!by!counsel!of!ones!choosing,!and!the!presumption!of!innocence.!!

!

4.28! Whatever!public! statements!were!made!by!the!Rivers!State!Government!to! justify! the!ongoing!demolition!fail!to!meet!the!standards!of!adequate!and!detailed!notice!insofar!

as! it! fails! to! cite! any! law! according! to! which! a! resident! could! determine! which!

individuals! or! houses! might! be! implicated.! As! to! the! rest! of! the! due! process!requirements!for!a!criminal!or!quasiUcriminal!matter,!the!summary!demolition!exercise!

presumed!no!one!innocent!and!left!no!opportunity!to!prepare!or!present!a!defense.!!

4.29! In! the! alternative,! we! respectfully! submit! that! the! present! matter! should! be!

characterized!as!civil!in! nature,! insofar!as! it! is!clearly! involves!a! determination!of! the!Abonnema! Wharf! Waterfront! communitys! civil! rights! by! a! government! authority.!

Indeed,! a! civil! proceeding! is! the! normal! path! to! eviction.! In! point! of! fact,! there! are!procedures!prescribed!at!law!!under!the!Land!se!Act!for!compulsory!acquisition!or!

under! the! Recovery! of! Premises! Act! for! occupiers! of! premises! ! that! ensure! the!opportunity!to!be!heard!and!to!have!access!to!a!court!of!law.!Such!procedures!involving!a! civil! proceeding! are! more! in! line! with! the! requirements! of! Section! 36(1)! of! the!

Constitution,!which!would!entitle!affected!residents!to!a!fair!hearing!within!a!reasonable!

time!by!an!impartial!and!independent!court!of!law!or!other!tribunal!established!by!law.!In!short,!evictions!!even!by!government!!should!require!a!valid!court!order!to!proceed.!

!4.30! Even! if! the!present! action! is!characterized!merely! as! an! administrative! action,! i.e.! an!

executive!determination!of!Abonnema!Wharf!Waterfront!communitys!civil!rights,!which!

would! ignore! the! enormity! of! the! penalty! being! imposed! by! the! demolitions/forced!evictions,!the!Constitution!at!Section!36(2)!requires!at!a!minimum!that!those!affected!

have! (1)! an! opportunity! to! be! heard! and! (2)! the! right! to! appeal! the! agency!determination!before!it!becomes!final!and!may!be!acted!upon.!The!procedures!laid!out!in!

the!Rivers!State!rban!and!Regional!Planning!and!Development!Law,!discussed!above,!

clearly! attempt! to! comply! with! these! minimum! due! process! requirements! before!allowing!an!executive!agency!to!order!demolitions!of!property!in!the!state.!Why!should!

demolitions!of!Abonnema!Wharf!be!carried!out!by!such!grossly!different!standards?!

!4.31! For!all! the! foregoing! reasons,!we! submit! that! the!methods!by!which! the!Rivers! State!

Government! invaded! the! Abonnema! Wharf! Waterfront! and! demolished! residents!


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homes,!business!premises,!and!community!facilities!do!not!satisfy!minimum!due!process!

and! are! therefore! unconstitutional! and! unlawful.! We! respectfully! urge! the! National!Human!Rights!Commission!to!so!hold.!!

!! Fair'Hearing'Violations'in'Ongoing'Litigation''

!4.32! We! respectfully! submit! that! the!combined! effect! of! the!abusive!conduct!of! the!Rivers!

State! Government! as! Defendant! to! the! court! case! filed! by! numerous! members! of!

Abonnema!Wharf!Waterfront!community!and!the!steadfast!refusal!by!the!Rivers!State!

Judiciary!to!admonish!the!same!constitutes!a!separate!violation!of!fair!hearing.!When!it!stands! in! the! role! of! Defendant,! the! Rivers! State! Government! is! under! obligation! to!

observe! to! rules! of! court!and!of! fair! play! so! as! not! to! abuse! its!position! to! deny! fair!hearing! and! legal! remedy! to! litigants.! Irrespective! of! the! Governments! conduct,! the!

Rivers!State!Judiciary!is!the!gatekeeper!of!fair!hearing!and!must!be!vigilant.!!

!4.33! As!referenced!above,!Section!36(1)!of!the!1999!Constitution!entitles!affected!residents!

to!a!fair!hearing!within!a!reasonable!time!by!an!impartial!and!independent!court!of!law!

or!other!tribunal!established!by!law.!This!standard!is!substantially!the!same!as!the!right!to!fair!hearing!guaranteed!under!the!International!Covenant!on!Civil!and!Political!Rights.!

We! submit! that! the! facts! pled! above! amply! demonstrate! that! the! court! lacks! the!requisite!independence!and!impartiality!to!sanction!abusive!behaviors!that!cause!undue!

delay!and!unwarranted!expense!to!the!litigation!!and!that!even!go!to!the!heart!of!the!

pending! matter,! such! as! destroying! the! subject! matter! of! litigation.! Additionally,! it!cannot!be!said!that! the!matter!has!proceed!within! a!reasonable! time.!We!respectfully!

urge!the!National!Human!Rights!Commission!to!so!hold.!!

!Violations+of+Right+to+Liberty' '

!

4.34! On!26!June!2012,!the!day!before!the!demolition,!about!120!young!men!in!the!Abonnema!

Wharf!community!were!rounded!up,!arrested!and!detained!for!several!days!while!the!demolition!went!on,!depriving!them!of!the!opportunity!to!rescue!their!possessions!and!

leaving!their!wives,!mothers,!sisters!and!children!without!defence!or!assistance.!!!

4.35! When!these!young!men!were!released!on!28th!or!29th!of!June!2012,!they! found!their!

homes! demolished! and! themselves! homeless.! Most! of! these! young! men! were! never!charged!to!court.!As!for!the!few!who!were!charged!to!court,!the!court!on!3!September!

2012!struck!the!matter!out!for!want!of!diligent!prosecution,!further!evidencing!that!they!were!falsely!accused!and!arrested!only!to!facilitate!the!demolition.!!!

!

4.36! We!submit!that!these!unlawful!arrests!and!detentions!constitute!violations!of!the!right!to!liberty!enshrined!in!Section!35(1)!of!the!Constitution,!which!reads:!

!

Every'person'shall'be'entitled'to'his'personal'liberty'and'no'person'shall'be'

deprived'of'such'liberty'save'in'the'following'cases'and'in'accordance'with'a'

procedure'permitted'at'law'


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'

! As!well!as!Article!6!of!the!African!Charter,!which!states:!Every'individual'shall'have'the'right'to'liberty'and'to'the'security'of'his'person.'No'

one'may'be'deprived'of'his'freedom'except'for'reasons'and'conditions'previously'

laid'down'by'law.'In'particular,'no'one'may'be'arbitrarily'arrested'or'detained.''!

As!well!as!Article!9(1)!of!the!ICCPR,!which!states:!Everyone'has'the'right'to'liberty'and'security'of'person.'No'one'shall'be'subjected'to'

arbitrary'arrest'or'detention.'No'one'shall'be'deprived'of'his'liberty'except'on'such'

grounds'and'in'accordance'with'such'procedure'as'are'established'by'law.'

!

4.37! There! is! no! evidence! that! the! arrests! and! detentions! carried! out! in! the! immediate!aftermath!of!the!Abonnema!Wharf!Waterfront!demolitions!were!in!accordance!with!any!

procedure!permitted!at!law!as!elaborated!in!Section!35(1)(a)U(c)!of!the!Constitution,!or!any!other!law!in!force!in!Nigeria.!Moreover,!at!the!time!of!the!arrest,!none!of!the!aboveUnamed!individuals!were!promptly!informed!of!the!reason!for!their!arrest!or!the!charges!

against!them,!nor!were!there!promptly!brought!before!a!judge,!which!constitutes!a!clear!

violation!of!Article!9(2)U(3)!of!the!ICCPR.!!!

4.38! Accordingly,!we!respectfully!urge!the!National!Human!Rights!Commission!to!hold!that!these!instances!amount!to!arbitrary!arrest!and!detention!and!violate!the!fundamental!

right!to!liberty!guaranteed!in!Section!35(1)!of!the!Constitution,!Article!6!of!the!African!

Charter,!and!Article!9(1)!of!the!ICCPR.!!

' Violations+of+Rights+to+Family+and+Private+Life,+Livelihood,+and+Education+'

4.39! In!addition!to!the!above!claims!based!on!fundamental!rights!violations,!we!submit!that!

the!27!June!!2!July!2012!demolitions!of!the!Abonnema!Wharf!Waterfront!community!violate!the!following!fundamental!and!human!rights,!among!others:!!

!

(1)the! right! to! private! and! family! life! guaranteed! under! Section! 37! of! the!Constitution;!

(2)the!right!to!livelihood!that!is!implicit!in!the!right!to!life!guaranteed!by!Section!33!of!the!Constitution,!Article!15!of!the!African!Charter!(as!domesticated),!and!

Article!6!of!the!ICESCR;!and!!

(3)the! right!to!education!guaranteed!by! the! [Rivers! State!Child! Rights! Law??],!Article! 17! of! the! African! Charter! (as! domesticated),! and! Article! 13! of! the!

ICESCR.!!

!4.40!! Section!37!of!the!Constitution!declares:!The!privacy!of!citizens,!their!homes!is!hereby!

guaranteed!and!protected.!We!submit!that!the!summary!demolitions!without!adequate!notice! or! due! process! of! law,! which! displaced! thousands! of! residents! and! left! them!

homeless,! living! in! the! open,! with! families! scattered! and! separated! in! search! of! any!

available!shelter,!is!clearly!a!violation!of!the! right+to+private+and+family+life .!In!Aliyu+


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Ibrahim+v+The+ Commissioner+ of+Police,! the! Court! found!that! forcefully!dragging! the!

applicant!out!of!his!home!amounted!to!a!violation!of!Section!37.!Surely!the!events!here!are!at!least!as!extreme!!we!urge!the!National!Human!Rights!Commission!to!so!hold.!!

!4.41! We! submit! that! the! demolition! exercise! of! the! business! premises! and! community!

facilities!in!the!Abonnema!Wharf!Waterfront!has!destroyed!the!livelihoods!of!thousands!and!thereby!threatens!their!nonUderogable!right!to!life!as!guaranteed!by!Section!34!of!the!Constitution!of!the!Federal!Republic!of!Nigeria!1999,!Article!4!of!the!African!Charter,!

and! Article!6!of! the! International!Convention!on!Economic,! Social! and! Cultural! rights!

(ICESCR).! The! right+ to+ livelihood! is! a! vital! component! of! the! right! to! life! because,!without!a!livelihood,!living!itself!becomes!impossible.!The!Indian!Supreme!Court!in!Olga+

Tellis+v.+Bombay+Municipal+Corporation!(2007)'CHR'241,'at'page'22, !a!case!dealing!with!the!demolition!of!slum!structures!near!the!city!of!Bombay,!India,!held!as!follows:!

!

If' the'right' to' livelihood' is' not' treated'as' a'part' of' the' right' to' life,' the'

easiest'way'of'depriving'a'person'of'his'right'to'life'would'be'to'deprive'him'

of'his'means'of'livelihood'to'the'point'of'abrogation.'Such'deprivation'would'

not' only'denude' the' life'of' its' effective' content' and'meaningfulness'but' it'

would' make' life' impossible' to' live.' Deprive' a' person' of' his' right' to'

livelihood'and'you'shall'have'deprived'him'of'his'life.'

!

4.42! As!in!the!Olga+Tellis!case,!the!27!June!!2!July!2012!demolition!exercise!carried!out!in!

the! Abonnema! Wharf! Waterfront! destroyed! the! business! premises! and! community!facilities!of!many!residents!and!also!displaced!thousands!who!worked!in!the!community!

or! relied! on! access! to! water! as! a! principle! source! of! livelihood! from! the!waterfront!community.! As! such,! these!demolitions! constituted!an!affirmative!act! by!government!

that! disrupted! the! livelihoods! of! thousands,! thereby! constituting! a! violation! of! their!rights!to!livelihood/life.!We!urge!National!Human!Rights!Commission!to!so!hold.!!

!

4.43!! Finally,!we!submit!that!the!demolitions!carried!out!in!Abonnema!Wharf!Waterfront!have!

also!infringed!on!the!rights!of!the!child,!including!the!fundamental!right+to+education.!The! rights! of! the! child!enjoy!a!position!of!utmost! importance! in!Nigerian! law.!Article!

17(1)!of!the!African!Charter,!which!has!been!domesticated!into!Nigerian!law,!provides!that![e]very!individual!has!a!right!to!education.!Moreover,!the!Child!Rights!Act!No.!26!

of!2003,!which!gives!domestic!affect!to!Nigerias!ratification!of!the!Convention!on!the!

Rights!of!the!Child,!includes!numerous!provisions!on!the!rights!of!the!child,!including!the!childs! right!to!protection!and! care!as!necessary! for! the!wellUbeing!of!the! child!under!

Section!2,!right!to!survival!and!development!under!Section!4,!and!the!right!to!the!best!attainable!state!of!physical,!mental!and!spiritual!health!under!Section!13,!and!the!right!

to!education!under!Section!15.!These!rights!are!undergirded!by!the!directive!principle!

contained!in!Article!18!of!the!Constitution.!Lastly,!Article!13!of!the!ICESCR!protects!the!right!of!everyone!to!education.!!

!

4.44! Relying!on!such!authorities,!the!Community!Court!of!Justice!of!the!Economic!Community!of! West! African! States! in! the! case! of! SERAP+ Vs.+ Federal+ Republic+ of+ Nigeria+ and+

Universal+Basic+Education+Commission,'ECW/CCJ/APP/08/08,!recognized!this!right!to!


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education! as!enforceable! in!Nigeria.!By!virtue! of! the! ECOWAS!Treaty,! this!decision! is!

binding!law!in!Nigeria.!!!

4.45! By!disrupting! livelihoods! and! displacing! thousands! from! their!homes,!we! submit! that!the!27!June!!2!July!2012!demolitions!have!also!jeopardized!the!ability!of!many!children!

to!attend!school.!We!submit,!therefore,!that!these!demolitions!have!violated!the!right!to!education! of! children! evicted! from! the! Abonnema!Wharf!Waterfront! community! and!respectfully!urge!the!National!Human!Rights!Commission!to!so!hold.!!

!

!5.0' PRAYERS'FOR'RELIEF'

'

5.1! A! DECLARATION! that! the! 27! June! ! 2! July! 2012! demolition! of! Abonnema! Wharf!

Waterfront!community!constitutes!a!forced+eviction!and,!thereby,!violates!the!right!to!

adequate!housing!guaranteed!under!the!International!Covenant!on!Economic,!Social!and!Cultural!Rights!and!the!right!to!housing/shelter!implicit!in!the!African!Charter!of!Human!

and!Peoples!Rights!and!the!1999!Constitution!of!the!Federal!Republic!of!Nigeria.!

!5.2! A!DECLARATION!that!the!forced!buyUout!and!the!27!June!!2!July!2012!demolition!of!

Abonnema!Wharf!constitutes!a!violation!of!the!rights!to!property!the!African!Charter!of!Human!and!Peoples!Rights!and!the!1999!Constitution!of!the!Federal!Republic!of!Nigeria.!

!

5.3! A!DECLARATION!that!the!27!June!!2!July!2012!demolition!of!Abonnema!Wharf!and!the!conduct!of!the!Rivers!State!Government!and!Rivers!State!Judiciary!during!the!pendency!

of!the!litigation!meant!to!restrain!this!very!demolition!constitute!violations!of!the!right!to! fair! hearing! guaranteed! under! the! 1999! Constitution! of! the! Federal! Republic! of!

Nigeria!and!the!International!Covenant!on!Civil!and!Political!Rights.!!5.4! A!DECLARATION! that! the!roundUup,!arrest! and!detention!of! the!120!young!men!from!

Abonnema!Wharf! immediately!prior! to!the! demolition!constitutes!a! violation! of! their!

rights! to! liberty! guaranteed! under! the! 1999! Constitution! of! the! Federal! Republic! of!Nigeria,! the! African! Charter! on! Human! and! Peoples! Rights,! and! the! International!

Covenant!on!Civil!and!Political!Rights.!!

5.5! A!DECLARATION!that!the!27!June!!2!July!2012!demolition!of!Abonnema!Wharf!resulted!

in!violations!of!the!right!to!family!and!private!life,!the!right!to!livelihood!implicit!in!the!right!to!life,!and!the!right!to!education!guaranteed!under!the!1999!Constitution!of!the!

Federal!Republic!of!Nigeria,!the!International!Covenant!on!Economic,!Social!and!Cultural!Rights,!the!International!Covenant!on!Civil!and!Political!Rights,!and!the!African!Charter!

on!Human!and!Peoples!Rights,!among!other!instruments!to!which!Nigeria!is!party.!!

!5.6a! An! ORDER! of! MANDATORY! INJNCTION! ordering! the! Rivers! State! Government! to!

return! the! land! at! Abonnema! Wharf! to! forcibly! evicted! residents! and! rebuild! their!

wrongfully!demolished!homes,!business!places!and!community!facilities;!!!


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5.6b! Or,! if! the! above! order! is! deemed! absolutely! impossible,! an! ORDER! of! MANDATORY!

INJNCTION!ordering! the! Rivers! State!Government! to! resettle!evictees,! at!no!cost! to!them,!to!a!comparable!piece!of!land!to!that!at!Abonnema!Wharf!that!is!satisfactory!the!

evictees;!and!to!pay!adequate!sums!(at!least!N55!million!for!block!structures!and!N35!million!for!thatch!structures)!to!rebuild!their!demolished!structures.!!

!5.7! An!ORDER!OF!MANDATORY!INJNCTION!ordering!the!Rivers!State!Government!to!pay!

adequate! compensation! for! all! moveable! properties! wrongfully! lost,! damaged! or!

destroyed!and!for!all!rights!violations!suffered!by!each!evictee!in!the!course!and!in!the!

aftermath!of!the!forced!eviction.!!

5.8! An! ORDER! OF! MANDATORY! INJNCTION! ordering! the! Rivers! State! Government! to!provide,!at!no!cost!to!evictees,!social!and!other!support!services!to!address!the!trauma!

and!other!psychological!and!emotional!harm!suffered!by!evictees.!

!5.9! An! ORDER! of! MANDATORY! INJNCTION! ordering! the! Rivers! State! Government! to!

refrain!from!carrying!out!and!take!immediate!steps!to!prevent!forced!evictions!in!the!

state,!including!domesticating!the!prohibition!on!forced!evictions!into!Rivers!State!law.!!!!

!Submitted!on!26!September!2013.!

!

!!

!_________________________________!

!Megan!Chapman!

Staff!Attorney!

Social!and!Economic!Rights!Action!Center!Plot!758,!Chief!Thomas!Adeboye!Drive!

Omole!Phase!2,!Isheri,!Lagos!!

+234.818.719.6021!(mobile)!+234.1.764.6299!(office)!

[email protected]!/[email protected]!

! !


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EVICTIONS AND DEMOLITIONSIN PORT HARCOURT

REPORT OF FACT-FINDING MISSION

TO

PORT HARCOURT CITY,

FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA

12-16 MARCH 2009

UN-HABITAT

with

Ministry of Works, Housing and Urban Development of the Federal Republic of

Nigeria,

Social and Economic Rights Action Center (SERAC),

Women Environment Programme (WEP)

Exhibit B - Exec. Summary of UNHABITAT Report


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The responsibility for the content of this report, including its

recommendations, rests entirely with UN-HABITAT.

The time devoted to the Mission and the contributions of those individuals

and organisations listed in the annexes are acknowledged and appreciated.

This report has been produced without formal editing by the United Nations.

The designations employed and the presentation of the material in this report

do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the

United Nations Secretariat concerning the legal status of any country,

territory, city or area or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of

its frontiers or boundaries.

Reference to names of firms and commercial products and processes does

not imply their endorsement by the United Nations, and a failure to mention

a particular firm, commercial product or process is not a sign of disapproval.

Excerpts from the text may be reproduced without authorization, on

condition that the source is indicated.

Cover photo: Legal structure along the upper part of Abonnema Wharf,

demolished during the period 10 to 13 February 2009.

Photo credit: Social and Economic Rights Action Center (SERAC)

UN-HABITAT

Abuja and Nairobi, August 2009


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Acronyms

AGFE - Advisory Group on Forced Evictions to the Executive Director

of UN-HABITAT

C of O - Certificate of OccupancyCAP - Chapter of Law

CESCR - Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights

COHRE - Centre on Forced Eviction and Housing Rights

EIA - Environmental Impact Assessment

ERSO - Experimental Reimbursable Seeding Operation

GRA Government Reservation Area

GUO - Global Urban Observatory

HAPSO Habitat Programme Support Office

HAPSO - Habitat Programme Support Office

HIC - Habitat International Coalition

HLRN - Housing and Land Rights NetworkIAI - International Alliance of Inhabitants

LUO - Local Urban Observatory

MDG - Millennium Development Goals

MDGs - Millennium Development Goals

MoU - Memorandum of Understanding

NEPAD - New Partnership for African Development

NGN - Nigerian Naira

NGOs - Non-Governmental Organizations

NIWA - National Inland Waterways Authority

NUTN - National Union of Tenants of Nigeria

RSG - Rivers State Government

SERAC - Social and Economic Rights Action Center

SPDC - Shell Petroleum Development Company

TOL - Temporary Occupation License

TOL - Temporary Occupation Licenses

TV - Television

UN - United Nations

UN-HABITAT- United Nations Human Settlements Programme

UNICEF - United Nations Children Fund

USD - United States Dollar

WDMC - Waterfronts Development Monitoring Committee


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Table of Contents

Acronyms ...............................................................................................................................................iiiTable of Contents...................................................................................................................................iv

Executive Summary...............................................................................................................................vi

INTRODUCTION .............................................................................................1

1.1. Justification of the fact-finding mission .................................................................................11.2. Preparations for the fact-finding mission...............................................................................31.3. Mission objectives and activities ...................................................... ....................................... 41.4. Mission participants.................................................................................................................51.5. Mission methodology ...............................................................................................................61.6. Structure of the report.............................................................................................................6

2. SOCIO-ECONOMIC, POLITICAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL CONTEXT

OF THE DEMOLITIONS IN PORT HARCOURT.............................................8

2.1. Location and history of Port Harcourt...................................................................................82.2. Population growth....................................................................................................................92.3. The urbanisation, housing and governance crisis ...............................................................10

3. URBAN RENEWAL THE GOVERNMENTS JUSTIFICATION FOR

DEMOLITIONS..............................................................................................12

3.1. The new Greater Port Harcourt Development Plan ................................................... ........123.2. Development control as key instrument for urban restructuring ................................... 143.3. Implementation of the Development Plan............................................................................14

4. EXTENT AND IMPACT OF THE RECENT DEMOLITIONS...................15

4.1. Inventory and typology of demolitions.................................................................................154.1.1. Demolition of allegedly illegal structures........................................................................154.1.2. Demolition of legal structures ....................................................... ...................................... 204.1.3. Demolition of waterfront settlements....................................................... ........................... 25

4.2. Total affected population since 2008 ....................................................................................314.3. Impact of the demolitions ....................................................... ............................................... 324.4. The area of greatest concern planned large-scale demolitions for the public-privatepartnership development of Silverbird Showtime.............................................................................33

5. DUE PROCESS ANALYSIS ACCORDING TO EXISTING

LEGISLATION...............................................................................................38

5.1. The lack of a legal basis for the demolitions as a result of absence of requiredinstitutional framework and planning procedures......................................................... ................... 395.2. Due process analysis: demolition of allegedly illegal structures according to the RiversState Physical Planning and Development Law 2003........................................................................42

5.2.1. Do all illegal structures have to be demolished?..............................................................425.2.2. Do owners of illegal structures have to pay for the demolition?..................................... .465.2.3. Do owners of illegal structures have a right to compensation?............................. ...........47

5.3. Due process analysis of demolition of legal structures according to the Rivers StatePhysical Planning and Development Law 2003 and the national Land Use Act 1978....................48

5.3.1. When does the Government have the right to compulsory acquisition of property?........... 495.3.2. Has the RSG followed due process in acquiring properties for overriding public purpose?495.3.3. How was the compensation level determined?....................................................................505.3.4. Were owners satisfied with the money they received from the RSG for their buildings?...515.3.5. What are the rights of tenants after the RSG acquired the legal properties they occupied? 51


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5.3.6. Was adequate notice given to occupants of legal buildings prior to demolition?................ 575.3.7. Do owners of legal buildings have a right to resettlement?.................................................57

5.4. Due process analysis of the planned demolition of entire waterfront communitiesaccording to the Rivers State Physical Planning and Development Law 2003................................59

5.4.1. What are the provisions of the 2003 Law? ........................................................ .................. 605.4.2. To what degree has the RSG followed the provisions of the 2003 Law?............................63

5.5. Due process analysis of the Port Harcourt demolitions according to relevant regional andinternational laws .................................................... ........................................................... .................. 73

5.5.1. Demolitions versus forced evictions ................................................... ........................... 735.5.2. Regional housing rights legislation ......................................................... ............................ 735.5.3. International housing rights legislation and instruments ................................................... ..74

6. GENERAL CONCLUSIONS...................................................................76

7. WAY-FORWARD AND RECOMMENDATIONS ....................................78

7.1. Latest institutional developments a window of opportunity for the implementation ofthe provisions of the 2003 Law.................................................. .......................................................... 78

7.2. Recommendations ......................................................... ......................................................... 797.3. UN-HABITAT response to the RSGs request for technical assistance ............................ 83

8. ANNEXES ................................................................................................1

8.1. Mission programme ...................................................... ........................................................... 18.2. Meetings and attendance ........................................................ ................................................. 38.3. Coverage of relevant issues in newspapers ........................................................ .................. 118.4. Forced evictions in Port Harcourt prior to 2008 ......................................................... ........15

8.4.1. Rainbow Town July 2000.................................................................................................158.4.2. Agip Waterside Community December 2004 to April 2005 ............................................ 17

8.5. Documentation on relevant court cases................................................................................198.6. Information materials by the Rivers State Government .................................................. ..218.7. Legislative and policy frameworks for urban planning in Port Harcourt ........................ 24

National legislative and policy frameworks for urban planning...................................................... ..248.7.1. The Land Use Act 1978.......................................................................................................248.7.2. National Urban and Regional Planning Law No. 88 of 1992.............................................. 268.7.3. National Urban Policy ......................................................... ................................................ 308.7.4. National Housing Policy....................................................... ............................................... 35Rivers State legislative and policy frameworks for urban planning ................................................ ..378.7.5. Rivers State Physical Planning and Development Law No 6 of 2003....................... ..........388.7.6. Rivers State Lands Law (Temporary Occupation Regulation)............................................ 43

8.8. Petitions, press releases and correspondence on demolitions in Port Harcourt ............... 44


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Executive Summary

1. Mission background and justification

A five-person fact-finding mission led by UN-HABITAT has visited Port Harcourt,Nigeria, from 12 to 16 March 2009. The mission team was composed of UN-

HABITAT staff who are based in Nairobi and Abuja, and representatives of the

Federal Ministry of Works, Housing and Urban Development and the Nigerian-based

non governmental organisations Social and Economic Rights Action Center (SERAC)

and Women Environmental Programme (WEP).1

In addition to petitions received by UN-HABITAT, an international outcry about

large-scale demolitions and reported violations of housing rights undertaken by the

Rivers State Government (RSG) triggered the organisation of this fact-finding mission.

Various UN-HABITAT partners and members of the Advisory Group on Forced

Evictions to the Executive Director of UN-HABITAT(AGFE) had also expressed theirconcerns and requested UN-HABITAT to undertake a mission to assess the situation,

or alternatively field an AGFE mission to look at the matterin situ. Security concerns

and availability of experts adversely affected an earlier response of UN-HABITAT.

2. Methodology

The Mission objectively assessed the on-going and planned demolitions. It visited

different sites where demolitions have recently occurred as well as locations where

they are planned to take place. Additionally, the Mission met with Government

officials, carried out individual interviews and group discussions and reviewed a wide

range of documentation including web-based reports, official government reports, and

legal papers and plans. The Mission interviewed and held consultations with the

widest possible range of stakeholders including Government, NGOs, and civil society

representatives.

3. Housing situation in Port Harcourt city

Port Harcourt city has more than 800,000 inhabitants (2006 census) living within its

municipal boundary. According to the RSG, the population of Greater Port Harcourt

currently stands at 1.2 million. The city has experienced spontaneous and

uncontrolled physical growth arising from rapid urbanisation during the last fourdecades. Faced with the high cost of inner-city rentals and scarcity of housing, many

households, especially rural migrants, resorted to land reclamation of swamps along

the waterfronts and their subsequent occupation via self-help housing construction.

This process of growth was not foreseen by the 1975 Master Plan that aimed at

providing infrastructure and orderly development for the fast-growing city. The citys

1975 Plan was never fully implemented.

1 The following persons participated in the Mission: Prof. Johnson Falade, Habitat Programme

Manager in Nigeria (Head of Mission); Rasmus Precht, Human Settlements Officer, Housing PolicySection, UN-HABITAT (Headquarters, Nairobi, Kenya); Morenike Babalola, Federal Ministry of

Public Works, Housing and Urban Development, Abuja, Nigeria; Victoria Ohaeri, ProgrammeCoordinator, Social and Economic Rights Action Center (SERAC), Lagos, Nigeria; and Priscilla

Achakpa, Executive Director, Women Environment Programme (WEP), Abuja, Nigeria.


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4. The RSGs justification for the demolitions

The Mission verified that indeed demolitions have taken place. Areas have been

cleared and other sites are earmarked for further demolitions. The RSG justifies its

clearance actions on its urban renewal strategy and its attempts to execute part of the1975 Master Plan. The Mission concluded that the re-establishment of development

control which has been neglected by previous administrations resulting into

encroachments on vacant land and into residential development along the waterfronts

is one of the most important drivers behind the on-going demolitions.

5. Location and typology of demolitions

The Mission witnessed demolitions in different parts of the city, some triggered by

infrastructure development projects (road dualisation; installation of water mains and

drainage; hospital expansion); others by the RSGs effort

Documents

Abonnema Wharf Forced Eviction 2012