The Rivers State House of Assembly has revoked the ownership of 868 plots of land currently occupied by DAAR Communications Plc, owners of African Independent Television, AIT, at Ozuoba in Obio Akpor Local Government Area of the State.
DAAR Communications is owned by Chief Raymond Dokpesi, an ally of Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, Presidential Candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.
The House accused the company of “wrongful acquisition”.
The action of the House followed the recommendations by the House Committee on Public Complaints which sat over the petition by Rumuokwashi, Rumuosi, Ozuoba and Alakahia communities.
The Chairman of the committee, Evans Bipi while presenting the report of the committee on the floor of the House, said Daar communications “failed” to provide the land documents of the said property.
The committee, therefore, recommended that the media outlets be allowed to use only the area it currently occupies.
He said “the committee after two meetings, took a long adjourned date on the request by the management of DAAR communications, managers of the African Independent Television, to enable them provide the land allocation papers by the State government in 2002, which they failed to provide.
“The committee recommends as follows: that half of one hectare which is about 10.75 plots of land, approximately 4988.8 square metres be allocated to DAAR communications Plc and the remaining hectares be returned back to the Rivers State government”.
He said the move is because DAAR communications paid only about N86.1m for the acquisition of the land which the House believes was less than the actual cost of the land.
Speaking on the matter, the Speaker of the House, Ikuinyi-Owaji Ibani said DAAR communications can open fresh negotiations with the State government over the land.
