Governor of Oyo State Senator Abiola Ajimobi of executive rascality and
strongly condemned “the unlawful demolition of Fresh FM building owned by
Yinka Ayefele, and the forced evictions of residents by the Oyo State
government”, describing it as a “grave violation of fundamental human
rights and contrary to international law.”
The Oyo State Government early on Sunday morning stormed the Music House
belonging to artiste, Yinka Ayefele. Government bulldozers arrived the
Challenge area of Ibadan where the building was located and pulled it
down, despite pending court action to stop the demolition. Ayefele had
sued Oyo State government, and the court had ruled that ‘there are serious
issues to be determined, and adjourned the case to August 20. The Oyo
State government had been duly served.
SERAP in a statement today signed by its deputy director Timothy Adewale
said, “This is a gross abuse of powers by the Oyo State government and
governor Ajimobi against a radio station simply doing their job. The
action is politically motivated, patently arbitrary and entirely
inconsistent with international human rights standards and national laws.
The action amounts to executive rascality and seriously undermines the
integrity and authority of our courts. This kind of action has no place in
a democratic society that is based on the rule of law.”
The organization said “the destruction of a radio station on the grounds
that the Oyo state government dislikes their work is a textbook case of
repression of media freedom and violation of the right to adequate
housing. The authorities must immediately stop the demolition, ensure
appropriate repairs of the building and adequate compensation, and
guarantee of non-repetition. SERAP will challenge this violent and
reckless destruction of Ayefele’s Fresh FM in court.”
The statement read in part: “The Oyo State government has not only engaged
in forced eviction but also violated the right to adequate housing, the
right to freedom of expression and media freedom.”
“It is the obligation of Oyo State government to ensure that Ayefele and
everyone affected by this act of illegality is adequately compensated for
the property of Fresh FM that has been demolished.”
“Nigeria is a state party to the International Covenant on Economic,
Social and Cultural Rights which requires Oyo State government to refrain
from arbitrary forced evictions and arbitrary destruction of resources
that individuals and families have invested in building their homes.”
“Nigeria has also ratified the International Covenant on Civil and
Political Rights, which protects individuals from arbitrary or unlawful
interference with his privacy, family, home or correspondence, and
guarantees everyone the right to the protection of the law against such
interference or attack.”
“In its “Resolution on Forced Evictions,” the U.N. Commission on Human
Rights affirmed that forced evictions constitute a gross violation of
human rights. The term “forced eviction” is defined for the purposes of
international law 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.”
“It is important to note that international standards focus on protecting
individuals who occupy homes and land and do not depend on any particular
form of ownership title to the land or house, nor on the legality of the
occupancy.”