At least 100 shops have been demolished in Leer town, Unity State, authorities have confirmed.
Stephen Taker Riak, Leer County commissioner, told Radio Tamazuj Thursday that the shops were illegally constructed by displaced people who had already been allocated land and resettled last year.
“We met in the first week of January and I told them that the shops in Leer would be demolished on 25th January. I told them to go back to their homes because they would be allowed to build houses and shops within Juong village,” he said.
The commissioner said the land in Juong was set aside in 2020 when floods displaced many people from Mayendit County headquarters and some parts of Leer County.
“As a government we will also allocate land to those displaced by floods in places like Mayendit, Guit and other places,” Taker added.
He said humanitarian aid organizations had pledged to help the flood victims.
A representative of the affected group, who sought anonymity denied claims they had been allocated an alternative land.
“For the last two years, we have been asking for land from the government and there has been no response. On Thursday, they came and demolished the houses of 400 individuals. We are now outside and it is the dusty season,” he said.