Architects Mourn Colleagues Killed by Terrorists

Fadekemi Ajakaiye 

The Nigerian Institute of Architects has said it “received with shock and grief the terrible news of the terrorist attack on the company vehicle conveying personnel of the West Africa Ceramics Limited, Ajaokuta from their factory premises to their residence during which six lives were lost while several staff were kidnapped.”

The NIA stated its grief in a statement signed by its President, Arc. Enyi E. Ben-Eboh, and Honorary General Secretary, Arc. Chike Chamberlain Ibeanu.

“It has become necessary to make this statement to draw the government’s attention to the impact of insecurity on the building industry. Among others, on January 25, 2022 one of our members in the employment of the Yobe State Government was kidnapped by terrorists operating in the Yobe area and has remained in captivity since then. On April 24, 2022 an Electrical Engineer was kidnapped in Kaduna while another was killed in Kaduna in August 2021 in spite of payment of ransom demanded. This year alone many project sites under various Government and private housing and related infrastructure projects have either had to be relocated, closed or completely shelved on account of activities of non-state actors in various parts of the country. Worst hit are project sites in the North East, North Central and North West. Some of the projects include Constituency projects and projects funded by State and Federal Government as well as the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria.

“The building industry is the highest employer of labour in Nigeria and the impact of insecurity on it is far reaching and negatively impacts on the achievement of the positive aspirations embedded in the projects and key initiatives of Government. Housing targets for Nigerians are not met, schools and hospitals for our citizens are not built while the provision of much needed roads and other transportation infrastructure are hampered or outrightly stopped. Professionals in the building industry are finding it increasing difficult to freely go about their activities in a safe and conducive environment. Furthermore, Government’s effort at diversifying our economy and ensuring critical building materials self-sufficiency is also under serious threat.

“Rising from the just concluded 11th Meeting of the National Council of Lands, Housing & Urban Development it was also well established that insecurity has been a major clog in the wheel for the attainment of some of the targets of the numerous housing projects across our nation. In some communities houses and other property are razed and citizens displaced causing a disruption to lives. 

“The Nigerian Institute of Architects hereby calls on the Federal Government to as a matter of urgency to redesign the security architecture of our nation with a view to minimizing if not completely eliminating the scourge of insecurity which has permeated the fabric of our nation. As a signatory to the Agenda 2030 SDGs of the United Nations our attainment of critical sections of this declaration are under serious threats of not being met. 

“We condole with all families and communities who have been affected by these increasing cases of insecurity and hope for the speedy intervention of Government and its agencies with the active cooperation of our citizenry.”