1st September, 2020
The Nigerian Army on Tuesday saved one of its own from homelessness in Kaduna. The beneficiary was a retired warrant officer, octogenarian Paul Ojo.
He was sacked from his Kaduna home on the orders of the El-Rufai government last month.
The Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Tukur Yusufu Buratai came to the man’s rescue by gifting him a three-bedroom bungalow in the same city.
Ojo was living at L2 Kasupda Quarters, Kabala Costain, Kaduna. The accommodation was part of an estate sold to residents by the Kaduna state government.
Owner occupiers were expected to pay in three instalments.
Ojo paid the first instalment of N250,000, but he sensed there were problems when his attempt to pay the next instalment was blocked.
He learnt that the house had been re-allocated to someone else, one one Mr Abbas Mohammed Ango, an action that gave a religious colouration to government action.
Ojo is a Christian, like many other residents of the estate.
He headed to court to re-assert his legal ownership.
It was while the case was pending that armed policemen, led by one DSP Ahmed came to throw him and his family out.
His plea that the case was before the court was met with beatings. His 75 year-old wife was also manhandled and two of his children were arrested by the police for confronting them.
Paul Ojo’s story got the attention of General Buratai.
And today, he made available to him a three-bedroom bungalow, possibly better than his initial accommodation.