Former First Lady, Patience Jonathan Petitions Police Over Demolition Of Her Spa In Bayelsa

Patience Jonathan

Ex-first lady Patience Jonathan has petitioned the Bayelsa State Police Command over the demolition of a part of her property, Aridolf Resort Wellness and Spa, located in Okaka area of the state capital, Yenegoa.

Chairman of the State Physical Planning and Development Board, Gideon Ekeowe, who is also a former secretary to the state government (SSG), led the demolition by state government officials.

Mrs Jonathan asked the police to arrest Mr Ekeowe over what she called abuse of office, criminal demolition and abuse of court processes.

It was learnt on Saturday that the demand for the arrest of Ekeowe was provoked by the destruction of the hotel’s fence without allowing the management of the hotel and the Police respond to the court order arising from the motion on notice instituted by the physical planning board, reports The Guardian.

The board has reportedly carried out around 78 cases of demolition which are being contested in court.

The newspaper could not reach Ekeowe for comments, however, it said officials close to him noted that the action of the physical planning officials was backed by the ruling of the physical Planning Tribunal Development tribunal headed by Justice Emmanuel Ogola (rtd).