• Friday, March 29, 2024
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Court orders Nasarawa to pay radio station N67m

Court vacates orders sealing former Zamfara governor’s house

A high court in Lafia has ordered the Nasawara State Government to pay the management of Breeze 99:9 FM, Lafia, N67.3 million for illegal demolition of the station. Delivering judgment, Justice Rose Soji, held that the demolition of the station on May 20, 2017 was illegal.
The judge also held that from the evidence before the court, the demolition was in violation of the relevant laws of the state which stipulated that the government was supposed to give a 21  days notice.

She said the Nasarawa State Urban Development Board (NUDB) notified the management of the station that the Certificate of Occupancy was for residential on May 11, 2017. “So, from the date the notice was served and when the station was demolished, is just nine days as against the the relevant laws of the state. “Because of not adhering to the stipulated laws, the demolition is thereby declared illegal and the government should pay N17. 3 as special damages and N50 million as general damages,” the judge added.

Justice Soji also ordered the state government to offer public apology to the management of the station for the illegal act. The urban development board had on May 20, 2017 demolished the station over alleged violation of land approval rules.