The people of Amankwo Ekautara Ibeku Opi Community in Nsukka Local Government Area of Enugu State have expressed surprise on the alleged trespass by Chief Jude Asogwa, the Chairman of Nsukka LG to forcefully take over the community’s ancestral land without any notice or consultation.
Stakeholders in the community disclosed this in Nsukka on Thursday while addressing newsmen after conducting them round the alleged destroyed farms, economic trees and other valuables by bulldozer deployed by the council chairman on Jan 17.
Speaking, HRH, Igwe Lordswell Eleje, the Traditional Ruler of the community who spoke through his Legal Adviser Mr. Osita Ogbu, expressed concern that Nsukka council chairman could invade their communal land destroying buildings, farmlands, economic trees, among others without pre-notice to leadership of the community.
“The land in question is situated at Ukwuala Ugwurogo Ibeku which the people leased in 1976 to Bartoletti Nigeria limited, a foreign construction company to use as a Base Camp for their staff during the construction of the 9th mile- Makurdi Expressway.
“At the end of the company’s constructing work in 2007 the company handed over the land to the community who thereafter shared the land to natives, some of the owners have since developed and erected structures on their portions.
“To our greatest surprise, on January 17, we woke up only to see bulldozer from Nsukka LG with scores of armed security personnels providing security to the bulldozers while it destroyed our buildings
farmlands, economic trees, among others,” he said.
The traditional ruler noted that the community was determined to deploy all legal means to ensure that the land is not taken by force by government.
He however said that, the community is ready for peaceful negotiation with Nsukka LG in order to resolve the matter..
Also speaking, Dr. Isaiah Abonyi, the President General of Ekautara Ibeku Opi Community expressed disappointment that the community was not given early information by the council before rolling out bulldozer into the community.
Abonyi appealed to youths in the area community and those whose land were affected to remain calm as leaders in the community were making efforts to see the council chairman so as to resolve the issue.
Speaking on the same issue, Mr Silas Ezugwu, the Edest Man in the community, aged 97, said he no prior no information that local government was coming in to the community.
“To the best of my knowledge, there was no time the community gave the said land to local government , it’s Customary Court we gave land and everybody in the community knows the boundary.
“I was surprise when some of my people came to my house on Jan 17 to tell me that Nsukka LG came with army and police to forcefully take over our land opposite Afor Opi Market.
“I am appealing to Gov. Peter Mbah to call the council chairman to order by telling him to leave our ancestral land alone for us,” he said.
Reacting, a prominent member of the community, Captain Nwabueze Agbo (rtd) said he came down from his Abuja base on hearing that his father’s land where he invested all his savings of 35 years of service in the Nigeria Army had been destroyed.
“My duplex building, that is under foundation level was destroyed, while building materials for the projects like rods and the other building materials were looted.
” I was told that, other people’s investments like poultry farm that contains over 2,000 birds as well as piggery farm were alsol destroyed.
” That duplex is part of my 35 years of life savings in Nigeria army I can’t fold my hands and watch any anybody to come and destroyed what I laboured for years.” he said.
The retired captain however, urged youths in the area to avoid violence of any type in the matter, promising that the community wouldl deploy all legal means to seek redress in court.
Speaking on behalf of the youths in the community, Mr. Kingsley Ezugwu said that the community was yet to recover from what the council chairman did by using bulldozers to destroy their farmlands, buildings, economic trees and other valuables without prior notice or consultation.
“The only land I know the community gave to government was 4.40 hectres of land given to Enugu State Customary Court many decades ago, and everybody in the community knows the boundary.
” We do not know where the council chairman got information to come and lay claim to our ancestral land,”he said.
The youths spokesperson alleged that some youths who wanted to use their mobile phones to take pictures or video the destruction by the bulldozeron on that fateful day were manhandled by security personnels who forcefully collected their phones, deleted everything while other phones were smashed.
” We are appeal for the intervention of Enugu State Governor as well as urge the council boss to learn good leadership and due process from the governor.
“Governor Peter Mbah who is presently dualizing the Nike-Opi Nsukka road, has given those whose property are affected first, second, and third notice to remove their property whereas the Nsukka LG chairman did not even give our people 24hrs notice,” he said
Reacting,Mr Ifeanyi Agbo the Chairman of Landlords in the area expressed concern over Nsukka council claiming ownership of the land, explaining that for decades he own property in that area no past council chairmen of Nsukka LG had come to make such claim.
“Even i the LG owns that place courtesy and due process demand people occupying that land should be given at least 24hours notice before rolling out bulldozer ” he said.
Mrs Agnes Ezeugwu, 91 years, a widow who alleged her crops were also destroyed in her farm begged Enugu State Government to intervene as that farmland about to be taken over by the council was the only farmland left for her by her late husband.
However, when contacted, Asogwa, (Nsukka LG Chairman) said that the land in question belongs to the Enugu State Customary Court, explaining that the council reached agreement with the court before taking over the land for development.
“Nsukka local government did not enter into the Amankwo Ekautara Ibeku Opi ancestral land. You should know that by the Land Use Acts 1978, government has right over every land, so government can take and develop any land for overriding public interest.
” But in this case,this land was given to Customary Court many decades ago by the community, our target is to expand Afor Opi market using the land so that the market will absorb activities that would crop up in the area after the dualization of Nike-Opi Nsukka road, 9th mile-Makurdi Expressway and 9th mile-Awhum-Ukehe-Opi road.
“So, the land we are clearing belongs to the Customary Court Opi, and we reached an agreement with State Customary Court to take over the land and develop it and there are documents signed and given to the council by the President of Enugu State Customary Court,,” he said.
The council boss disclosed that he had explained the issue to some of the community members who reached out to him concerning this issue..
Asogwa also denied the allegation that the council did not give the people prior notice before rolling out bulldozer to clear the area.
“We gave them notice last year even before we started fencing Opi Customary Court buildings,
“There was no property there that was destroyed as they alleged, the place was just an empty land and we cleared it,
“If after all these explanations, the community still feel aggrieved, they can go to court and seek redress, the council have all the necessary documents to tender before the court in order to win the case,”Asogwa added.
