The Director General of National Council for Art and Culture (NCAC), Otunba Segun Runsewe has stated that the current travails he is facing is linked to his patriotic desire to protect and defend government properties owned by the National Council for Art and Culture under his leadership.
He disclosed that the property “Art and Craft Village” is valued at 9.8billion and this is the reason why some persons benefiting from it wanted him hounded into jail and removed from office because he refused dancing to their tunes.
He further revealed that the government property was turned into a drug den, a hold bay and rented houses for hooligans, a depot for illegal arms and sundry criminal activities which had turned the place into security threats not only to citizens but also to foreigners who engage in early morning activities through that path.
Hence, the police had to close down the place.
Read Also: Chief of Defence Staff Commisions 54 Flats Built for Defence Hqtrs Personnel in Asokoro District Abuja
In his speech he said, “The Art and Craft village belongs to the federal government of Nigeria, it does not belong to me but to the Nigerian people, so I will be failing in my duties as a public officer and appointee of the government if I cannot protect government properties to which I was mandated to oversee”.
Runsewe noted that it is imperative to clear the air on the issue to help stem the tide of negative reactions and to reassure Nigerians that all hands must be on deck to protect properties owned by the government of Nigeria and to ensure that it is not misapplied or abused and if well handled it will provide over 300 jobs to Nigerians and reduce crime rates.
He ended by appreciating all those who has shown interest about his welfare through various mediums and even to those who visits adding that his life is in God’s hands and he will do his best within the ambit of law to secure and protect Nigerian cultural heritage and asset including those outside the shores of the country.
