The constructing was demolished on June 27, 2019, allegedly below the directive of a former Commissioner for Works and Hearth Service within the state, Mr. Ephraim Inyangeyin.

The Managing Director of the eatery, Mr. Isidore Ebong, in an announcement on Sunday titled “Ephraim Inyangeyin and his Atrocious Trespass and Malicious Destruction of Meals Affairs Constructing,” described the demolition as inhuman.

The assertion reads partly, “It’s greater than two years for the reason that illegal, ridiculous, ferocious and excruciating demolition of the Meals Affairs enterprise premises in Ikot Ekpene Native Authorities Space, with out due course of and cost of compensation, about which the employees and administration of the enterprise are nonetheless traumatised whereas counting their losses.
“The previous Commissioner for Works in Governor Udom (Emmanuel’s} first administration (2015-2019) on June 27, 2019, maliciously demolished a enterprise constructing belonging to Meals Affairs Restricted at No.1, Uyo – Ekpene Highway, Ikot Ekpene throughout enterprise hours with none prior discover and/or cost of acceptable compensation.
“It was a horrible and pitiable scene as employees and clients scampered for security, and a few regrettably left their private belongings behind because the insanity continued.

“Manufacturing employees of their aprons, who by no means knew what occurred, narrowly escaped loss of life, virtually trapped, finally got here out by way of the damaged again fence to a neighbour’s compound because the constructing caved in.

“The extension of the edifice used as a bar with assorted drinks and furnishings was not spared. Looters had a area day as they packed something and all the pieces they might lay their fingers on as Ephraim gave orders to floor all the pieces.
“To make sure the immediate destruction of first-hand proof of the demolition, the supervisor of the power who tried to take footage of the demolition train was manhandled and his cellphone ceased on the instruction of Mr Ephraim Inyangeyen.
“Properties value thousands and thousands of naira starting from furnishings, electronics, refrigerating and air-con gear, uncooked, semi-finished and completed meals merchandise, fittings, toys, turbines, employees private results in addition to money had been smashed by the 2 bulldozers that abruptly entered the premises on the command and supervision of Ephraim Inyangeyen.
“To draw public justification for this inhuman act, Inyangeyen publicly lied that former Governor, Godswill Obot Akpabio paid the sum of 150 million naira, Governor Udom Gabriel Emmanuel paid 100 million naira and he paid 30 million naira as compensation for a similar property which was marked for demolition to offer approach for development of the Uyo-Ikot Ekpene Highway, but they refused to pack out of the property to allow the contractors dealing with the street mission proceed with their work.”
Ebong challenged the previous commissioner to indicate any proof to substantiate his claims that the administration of the restaurant had been compensated by the federal government for the demolition.
“Those that didn’t perceive handed judgment as a result of Mr Ephraim as a former commissioner had publicly and categorically acknowledged how a complete quantity of Two Hundred and Eighty Million (N280,000,000.00) was paid whereas they refused to pack out.
“We, subsequently, name on the federal and state governments to hold out thorough investigations into this matter and pay enough compensation for the loss (constructing, supplies, and enterprise time),” he mentioned.
Inyangeyin had reportedly questioned why the problem was being introduced up about three years after the incident.
Inyangeyin described the allegation of trespass by the corporate as preposterous and unsubstantiated, saying the state works ministry carried out the demolition of the property and never him.
He mentioned the street that was constructed on the location was nonetheless being loved by the folks of the state.
He mentioned, “Don’t you assume if Meals Affairs has any grievance to make, they need to have made the grievance since 2019 in opposition to the Akwa Ibom state authorities that did the demolition?

“Inyangeyin didn’t demolish their web site to take the land. Why the dramatization as a result of I’m going for an election? Three years after the demolition even after I was not reappointed commissioner, what have they been doing+ They had been presupposed to have taken the Akwa Ibom state authorities to courtroom. Inyangeyin didn’t do the demolition, Akwa Ibom state ministry of works did.

“I informed the supervisor since you may have refused to take your compensation to courtroom, however if you happen to take me to courtroom as an individual it wouldn’t maintain water. So, why the drama within the media, is it going to be media judgement.

“Why did he not do that in 2019 after I was the commissioner for works? In 2020 I left the ministry of works and in 2021 I used to be appointed the Chief of Workers until 2022. Why is it in Could as a result of I used to be vying for an election that they introduced the falsehood?

“They’d gone to Premium Instances and now SaharaReporters. The state authorities is sponsoring him they usually assume with the media, they’ll tarnish my identify. They (authorities) demolished the place and constructed a street utilized by Akwa Ibom folks.”

He requested the corporate whether or not they noticed him constructing a home on the land, including that when he was not reappointed after the 2019 elections, a guide agency after analysis of the property paid him however he refused to take their cash.

“They needed the cost in a part that isn’t in my hand, I don’t make cost, I supervise street development. When we’ve got that type of subject primarily based on valuation, a cost guide has to pay.”

He added, “The identical authorities that owes them is now blackmailing any person that did the demolition. One easy query the corporate ought to reply is: did Inyangeyin demolish the property to make use of it for himself? Did I demolish the property as Inyangeyin or because the Ministry of Works?

“Did the state authorities use that place to assemble roads that Akwa Ibom individuals are utilizing? Why did Inyangeyin demolish a property that has no worth to him as an individual? Is Inyangeyin the Akwa Ibom state authorities?”

Nevertheless, all efforts to talk with the current commissioner, Professor Eno Ibanga, had been unsuccessful as he didn’t reply his calls nor reply to textual content messages despatched to him.