The Director-General of National Council For Art and Culture (NCAC) Otunba Segun Runsewe, has thrown lights on his sentence by an Abuja High Court.
Justice Jude Okeke recently convicted Runsewe for contempt and disobedience of an order made by the Court on December 15, 2017, a judgment the NCAC DG claimed was borne out of his insistence on the closure of the Art and Craft village (opposite Sheraton Abuja) valued at N9.8 billion.
The embattled NCAC boss at media briefing he organised on the sentence, said his position to close the Art and Craft Village was taken in good faith and for public overriding interest.
He claimed the place was turned into criminal den, hence his decision to shut it down, which riled some alleged criminal elements.
According to him: “The Art and Craft village was turned into a drug den, a hold-bay and rented house for hooligans and criminals. The area had been turned to a depot for illegal arms and sundry criminal activities.
“It is a security threat not only to Abuja residents but also to foreigners who engage in early hours exercises through the street in the morning. They were molested by criminals from this location.
“So I wonder why some people are bent on converting government property to a haven of inappropriate engagement. Hence, the police have to close down the place.
“The Art and Craft Village belongs to the Federal Republic of Nigeria. It does not belong to me but to the Nigerian people. So I would be failing in my duties as a public officer and appointee of government if I cannot protect government property to which I was mandated to oversee. If the area opens for business, it will provide over 300 jobs to Nigerians and reduce crime rate.”
