A group of shop owners and tenants at the CVC Plaza have raised alarm over what they describe as five years of intimidation, harassment, and illegal actions allegedly carried out by the landlord and new management of the plaza.
Speaking at a peaceful protest, Comrade Oluoha Godwin Chukwudi, Cponvener of the Concerned CVC Plaza Tenants, said the group had gathered to publicly decry the continued oppression of lawful occupants, many of whom purchased their shops through certified agents of CVC Plaza.
“We have come today in our numbers to let the world know what is going on here,” Chukwudi said. “This is not just a dispute; it’s oppression.”
According to Chukwudi, the issue began when CVC Plaza management sold individual shop units to tenants through authorized agents. These tenants, having paid in full, took ownership and began operations. However, without notifying them, the entire plaza was allegedly resold in blocks to a single new buyer, a move which contradicted the initial individual sales agreements.
“This is a clear case of robbing Peter to pay Paul,” Chukwudi stated. “After the bulk sale, the new owner issued notices to the existing tenants and even shop owners with pending litigation, ignoring their investments and documents.”
The affected occupants filed a legal suit, and the matter has been in court for over five years. Despite this, the protestors allege that the original owner of CVC Plaza has continued to collect rents from tenants and has on two occasions forcefully broken into shops, vandalized property, and installed unauthorized equipment—all while the case remains in court.
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“Despite a court order urging the parties to maintain status quo, the plaza management continues to violate property rights and defy judicial authority,” Chukwudi said. “They even brought in a freezer and illegally installed it in one of the disputed shops.”
The tenants also allege increasing intimidation, including harassment by hired thugs and psychological pressure aimed at displacing legitimate shop owners.
“This is no longer just a property dispute; it has become a human rights concern,” Chukwudi said, calling on the National Human Rights Commission, civil society organizations, and the media to intervene.
“We’re not flouting the law; we respect the court. But justice delayed is justice denied,” he said. “We’ve remained peaceful for five years, yet our rights are being trampled on.”
The group vowed to continue seeking justice and urged the judiciary to expedite the matter, citing growing emotional and financial damage suffered by the affected families.
“We demand justice. We demand accountability. And we demand an end to this oppression. An injustice to one is an injustice to all,” Chukwudi declared.
As of press time, efforts to reach the management of CVC Plaza for comment were unsuccessful.