The Umuigbo-Agbor people, Umuigbo autonomous community, Amurri in Nkanu West council area of Enugu have cried out over a “forceful occupation” of their lands by officials of the LGA.
President-General of Umuigbo Amurri, Chief Sabastine Okoh, condemned what he described as “an attempt at land grabbing”, when he spoke with newsmen in Owerri, on Friday.
Okoh said that officials of the Nkanu LGA, led by the LGA Chairman, Mr Chukwuma Ogbodo, invaded the community with caterpillars, uprooting crops on the community’s ancestral lands, in the guise of siting a smart farm project.
He added that the community’s leadership, after due consultations, donated over 200 acres of land to the government for the farm settlement, a gesture which he said that Ogbodo failed to recognize, but would rather proceed to hold on to the ancestral lands.
“ Our women cried out as caterpillars destroyed their cassava and other crops, prompting our youths to initiate negotiations with the authorities.
“ This harmless move was met with stiff resistance, resulting in the arrest and arraignment of four of our young men who would later be detained and released after eight days “, he said.
Also speaking, Chairman of Umuigbo Agbo,
Mr Anenechi Okeke, said that “our people are in tears because this is the only ancestral land that we can bequeath to our generations yet unborn “.
He called on the state Governor, Mr Peter Mbah, to call Ogbodo to order for proper dialogue, in the interest of peace.
Also, Special Adviser to Gov. Douye Diri of Bayelsa on Special Duties, Chief Chinedu Arthur-Ugwa, described the situation as “slowly degenerating to unrest”.
Arthur-Ugwa who is also a native of the area, urged the state government to dialogue with the people and ensure that land for the farm project is acquired “ in line with constitutional provisions “.
“ Each family in Umuigbo Agbo owns land in that place and that is the only land our ancestors left for us.
“ Non of the real owners of the land were consulted, like : Nnamani Nwangene, Ude, Ugwa, Okoh, Ogbodo Aguchukwu, Anibueze, Ndibugwu, Ndumuanu, Nwodo Ogbodo, Edeh, Ekenwanagu, Nwangene, and others”, he said.
Ogbodo however dismissed the allegations of land grabbing but said that the state government was building farm settlements in all council areas of the state as part of efforts to occupy the lands and mitigate insecurity.
“ There is a signed agreement between the government and the leadership of the community to the effect that the said land be used as a farm settlement for the benefit of the people “, he said.