– Vow To Resist Moves
Obinze and Umuoma Nekede communities in Owerri West Local Government Areas of Imo State have warned State and non State actors to desist from encroaching on their lands, especially those located along Port Harcourt Road for any reason whatsoever.
The two communities stated that the land in question has been a subject of controversy and litigation between them and the Federal University of Technology (FUTO), adding that the federal government has at various times intervened by constituting an inter-ministerial committee to mediate and settle allegations of unlawful acquisition of their land with a view to ensuring that peace and harmony reign.
The two communities while the warning the land speculators, alleged that the Governor of Imo State, Hope Uzodinma’s Special Adviser on Land Recovery, Paschal Nwakama bulldozed their land at Obinze and Umuoma Nekede communities Representatives of the two communities.
Comrade Ejike Opara one of the , village Chairmen and the Spokesperson of Umunebo, Obinze community, Destiny Nwosu, Spokesperson, Umuito community Prophet Chima Nwosu, Vice Chairman, Umunebo community, Elder Chinedu Okoroafor, and Chuks Obi for Umuoma Nekede community, spoke on the matter.
They also alleged that Nwakama stormed the areas in question with fully armed operatives of the Tiger Base Unit, from the Imo State Police Command, led by Adunne Egwu Ajuruchi, who they said, wakama uses to execute hatchet jobs for the state government.
“They shot sporadically in different directions while the bulldozer wrecked havoc on our land. As if that was not enough they also arrested and whisked away some of our people including community leaders who are still being detained at the Tiger Base office, in Owerri.
The communities also accused the Governor’s Special Adviser on Land Recovery of engaging in land grabbing with the guise of doing his legitimate duties.
“Paschal Nwakama’s actions are similar to the land grabbing activities of ex-Imo State Government officials like the former Commissioner for Lands, Noble Atulegwu and Governor Uzodinma’s ex-Special Adviser on Special Duties, Chinasa Nwaneri.
“They said that Nwakama asked them to come and obtain Certificates of Occupancy (C of O) from him, wondering whether the SA is the Governor who issues C of O. They also said that when they contacted the Commissioner for Housing Rt. Hon. Bede Ekeh, told them that he is not aware of such activity.
The two Communities therefore called on the State Governor Senator Hope Uzodimma to call Paschal Nwakama and his accomplices to order and ask them to desist from having anything to do with their lands, so as to allow peace which the Federal Government has been brokering between Host Communities and FUTO, to continue to reign.
When contacted in an interview, the Host Communities’ Attorney ESV Sam Anokam, insisted that the land in question does not belong to the state government and any interference by any officer of Imo State government is unlawful and should be resisted by the customary land owners as settlement over the conflict between the landowners and FUTO is in the offing through an inter ministerial committee set up by the federal government.
It was reliably gathered that the youths of the both communities tried their best to chase away the caterpillars that were bulldozing their lands”.
