Benue retirees sue state government over eviction notice

Some retirees of the Benue State Civil Service, including former Permanent Secretaries and Directors, have dragged the state government before the Benue State High Court for the revocation of their tenancy at the government quarters.

The houses had been allocated to applicants on owner-occupier basis.

The affected quarters allocated to the civil servants are Lobi, Ankpa, Kwararafa, Welfare quarters and other government quarters spread across other local government areas of the state.

Also joined in the suit as defendants were the Benue State Governor, Head of Civil Service and the Attorney General of the state.

In the four-point writ of summons issued against the state government on behalf of the plaintiffs, Ocha Ulegede, the plaintiffs prayed the court, “That the purported revocation of each of the plaintiff’s tenancy/notice to quit same and subsequent allocation to others, who are not in occupation is inequitable, unjust and unfair against the plaintiffs and same to be set aside.”

“That each of the plaintiffs having been legally allocated the various government quarters, as civil servants in Benue State, which they have indicated interest in purchasing is more qualified as an occupier to be given the first option of the same on owner-occupier” basis.

They also pointed out that, “The purported revocation of each of the plaintiff’s tenancy and quit notice on same as well as the subsequent allocation of the respective quarter to other staff was the height of injustice.”

No date has been fixed for hearing on the matter.

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