Enugu Community Protests Alleged Move to Dispossess Them of Ancestral Land
Tension is mounting in Enugu State as residents of Obinagu Obeagu Akegbe in Enugu South Local Government Area allege forceful takeover and reallocation of their ancestral land without due process.
Operating under the Obinagu Development Union, aggrieved members of the community staged a peaceful protest against what they described as “systematic land grabbing” allegedly linked to the Enugu State Geographic Information System.
The protesters marched from the disputed Lakeside Layout, Phases 1 and 2, to the Government House, wielding placards with inscriptions such as “Save Our Ancestral Land,” “Stop Land Grabbing Now,” and “Justice for Obinagu Community.” They also rendered solidarity songs, calling on the state government to urgently intervene.
Speaking to journalists, Chairman, Obinagu Development Union,Obeagu, Pastor Kingson Ndubueze, accused ENGIS of moves to dispossess the community of over 9,000 plots of land, which he maintained were legitimately acquired and duly registered.
Ndubueze said the community complied with all statutory requirements, including submission of relevant documents to the agency for verification, but alleged that ENGIS failed to carry out the exercise.
“We are law-abiding citizens who followed every legal process to secure this land. All documents were duly processed and submitted for verification,” he said.
He expressed dismay that, without any feedback, the land was allegedly reallocated to the Nigeria Police Force, which he claimed had already commenced development on the property.
“To our greatest surprise, without any verification, we discovered that our land has been allocated to the police, who are already developing it,” he alleged.
The community leader further argued that the presence of security personnel on the land was being used to legitimise what he termed an unlawful acquisition. He also questioned the transparency of the process, alleging that the land had been advertised for N25 million per plot.
“It appears the police are being used as a shield to perfect this injustice. This is our ancestral land, and we will not fold our arms and watch it taken without due process,” he added.
Ndubueze appealed to Governor Peter Mbah to intervene promptly to avert a potential escalation.
“We urge the governor to act swiftly. If not addressed, this issue could spiral. What we seek is justice, not conflict,” he stated.
However, the Managing Director of ENGIS, Chiwetalu Nwatu, dismissed the allegations, insisting that the agency did not allocate the land in question to the police.
“ENGIS did not allocate any land to the Nigeria Police in that area. Available records indicate that the police acquisition predates the current administration,” he said.
Nwatu explained that the dispute is longstanding and involves multiple communities, including Obinagu Obeagu, Amauzam Obeagu and Akpugo, thereby complicating ownership claims.
“This is not a straightforward matter. There are competing claims, and determining rightful ownership requires a comprehensive resolution,” he added.
He called on all parties to embrace dialogue and lawful channels in resolving the dispute, reiterating the agency’s commitment to transparency and due process in land administration.
EDITOR
Sam Udekwe is a journalist working in the News and Current Affairs department, Enugu State Broadcasting Service (ESBS) Enugu. He is well trained in all genres of journalistic venture.
Mr Sam read Mass Communication, graduating all with Distinction in National Diploma, Higher National Diploma and Postgraduate Diploma at IMT, Enugu and Madonna University, Okija, Anambra state, as well as M.Sc Mass Communication at National Open University of Nigeria.
He is the immediate past NUJ Chairman, Enugu state.
samowailo@gmail.com
