Oba Community Residents Protest Land Grabbing, Demolition, Seek Soludo’s Intervention

By Praise Chinecherem

No fewer than 3000 indigenes of Umueze Ogwugwu Oba community, Idemili South Local Government area, Anambra State have protested alleged take over of their land by one Bukham Group, a government property developer.

The protesters carrying placards with varying inscriptions accused the firm of destroying their buildings, farm land, cash crops, economic trees, among others in the process.

Some of the placards read, ‘Soludo come to our rescue’, ‘We have no other place call our own land’, ‘Bukham Group in collaboration with few of our sons have sold some plots of our land’, ‘We can’t be tenants in our own land’, ‘They have destroyed our buildings, farmland.”

Addressing newsmen, leader of the protesters, Sir Emeka Motanya said property estimated over N1billion that included, buildings, farmland, economic trees, farm produce were destroyed.

Motanya who spoke through his Secretary General, Samuel Onwukwe also alleged that reasonable number of plots of land were sold off since beginning of the land dispute.

He appealed to Governor Chukwuma Soludo, lawmaker representing Idemili North/South, Harris Okonkwo and Council chairman, Mrs Amaka Obi to come to their rescue.

He said, “Just this morning they continued the destruction of our economic crops and other Property. They extended beyond where we gave them for the building of International market.

“They have almost taken possession of where we are living. Some of us out of fear have fled to neighbouring communities of Oraifite, Akwukwu and others.

” If no help comes our way they will wipe us and Oba will be eight villages instead of nine.

“We urge Governor Chukwuma Soludo, Hon Harris Okonkwo, Council Chairperson, Mrs Amaka Obi to come to our aid because they feel we don’t have anybody to speak for us or protect us from their attack.”

Motanya added, “The developer should only take the portion we allocated to him for the construction of the market as agreed.

“About five months ago it was Sonny Bigman that led a destructive team that caused severe damages to our property and buildings. Today, this developer has continued from where Sunny bigman stopped.”

Contributing, Vice President of the youth wing, Chikodili Madu recalled how their fathers spent money acquiring judgment at the Supreme Court on the land, lamenting, “the developer and his team feel we don’t have anyone to assist us”.

President of the women wing, Mrs. Chukwuma Rose, stated, “Umueze Ogwugwu is currently being destroyed together with our houses built by our husbands. We now live in perpetual fear which prompted this protest.

“Soludo should help us because some of us are running to neighbouring communities of Oraifite, Akwukwu, etc”, she pleaded.

When contacted, Rev. Chris Emerie, leader of 14-man panel of enquiry established by traditional ruler of Oba, Engr Augustine Emelobe, to restore peace in the disputed land refuted all the allegations leveled against the government developer and the said sons of Oba.

“The developer was only clearing the bushes to ascertain the demarcation of the land as agreed in the presence of the monarch who wants to ensure peace, and appointed a panel of enquiry of which some of them from Ogwugwu are members, no structure was touched,” he clarified.

Another member of the panel, Ichie Samuel Onuchukwu said, “communities don’t allocate land to government rather government acquires land.

“The land in question was acquired by the state government during the administration of late governor Chinwoke Mbadinuju, on May 30, 2001 with some parts of land given as compensation to Ogwugwu Oba village.