Anambra Communities Seek Soludo’s Help to Resolve Communal Crisis

David-Chyddy Eleke in Awka

Some communities have asked the Anambra State Governor, Professor Chukwuma Soludo, to resolve their land disputes.

Yesterday, indigenes of Achalla Community of Awka North Local Government Area besieged the Anambra Government House, Awka, to protest the recent award of a contentious land to Urum community, in same local government area.

Leader of the protesting group, the Secretary General of Achalla Improvement Union, Mr. Calistus Nnakwue, who addressed journalists at the gate of the Government House said that a peace committee that was set up by the chairman of Awka North Local Government Area, sat severally over the contentious land, but never invited any member of Achalla Community, before eventually awarding the disputed land to Urum. 

Nnakwue said: “We are here to call the attention of the governor over the award of the land to Urum community, even without hearing from our representatives.

“The land in question belongs to us, and we are calling on Governor Chukwuma Soludo to set us a new committee to preside over the matter and give unbiased verdict.”

Placards wielded by the protesters read: “We need a new and impartial and unbiased panel,” “we were not taken into consideration by the panel, and our report was not taken,” “a responsible panel cannot do land border demarcation without the consent of the affected communities.” 

Meanwhile, in Nimo community in Njikoka Local Government Area, the leadership of the community has scheduled a meeting of all indigenes, over a contentious land, which has been converted to an estate by its leadership.

A press release by that was signed by the President General of Nimo Town Development Union (NTDU), Mr. Ekenenna Okafor-Omabu, and the Secretary General, Mr. Patrick Egbakpalu, stated that the community is ready to end the controversy surrounding the land in a meeting of the community, which would hold at the village square, Egwegwe Square, this weekend.

The release reads: “This town hall meeting on Saturday, May 27, is in order to not only set the records straight, but to enlighten all Nimo citizens on the developments in the part of Owa land, now called Obodo Oma Estate.

“There will be a very detailed presentation by those who have facts about all aspects of Obodo Oma Estate and there will be questions and answers during the interactive session.

“The feedback and suggestions made at the town hall meeting will be presented at the general assembly’s meeting later in the year. We urge all Nimo citizens to endeavour to attend.”

Journalist Drags Enugu Government to Court over Alleged Land Grab

An Abuja based journalist, Dr. Amaechi Anakwue, has instituted legal action against the Enugu State Government for an alleged willful trespass and takeover of his land in the state.

Anakwue, who is a media personality with AIT and Daar Communications Limited, has asked the Enugu State High Court to order the respondent to pay him the sum of N200 million as compensation for damages suffered as a result of the trespass.

Besides, the plaintiff is also urging the court to declare that he is the bonafide owner of the parcel of land known as Plot 137 Independence Layout Phase II, Enugu.

The suit, which was brought by his counsel, Mr. Ikeazor Ajovi Akariwe (SAN), is also seeking a perpetual injunction restraining Offiah Lordrick M., Enugu State Government, the Attorney General of Enugu State, and Commissioner for Lands and Urban Development from re-allocating the land to another person.

In his statement of claim, Anakwue stated that the land was granted Certificate of Occupancy to Mr. Bernand Onuigwe Orji in 2006 and registered as Number 89 at Page 89 in Volume 1574, who later sold it to Pascal Ene and issued a Deed of Assignment and irrevocable power of attorney.

He averred that he purchased the said land from Ene in 2014 via an irrevocable power of attorney duly registered with the Lands and Deeds Registry, Enugu as No 74 at Page 74 Volume 1674.

He explained that in furtherance of his ownership of the land, he paid for the necessary ground rents, and the community development fee of Ugwuaji and began to design the building plan.

He stated that he was advised to make the building plan in the name of the original buyer as that was still reflecting in the plan, and while trying to make the amendment, his brother, Nkemdilim Anakwue, visited the Enugu Capital Territory Development Authority (ECTDA) to find out the progress of the registration and discovered that the file was missing.

He stated that in 2021 one of the natives in the community informed his brother that work of a fence and gate house has begun on the land and wished to know whether he was the one behind it.

He said that all his efforts to locate the file through letters to the state government were rebuffed as the said Lordrick allegedly “continued unrestrained acts of trespass by constructing various structures on the land and altering the structure of the land.” He added that Lordrick would continue the act of trespass except the court restrains him.

Anakwue bemoaned the land swindle in the state despite the calls for more investments in the South-east and the “Think Home” mantra, which attracted people like him.