— Ban Him From Stepping Foot In Nkaraha Community
Ohaji-Egbema Local Government Area of Imo State is currently on the edge as a fresh controversy erupts over the ownership of a massive portion of land within the disputed Ogburuzo Ogwu Palm Plantation in Nkaraha community. The latest alleged claim, made by one Prince Macon Nlemigbo, has been met with fierce resistance from the Ohaji-Egbema Youth Movement (OEYM), which has vowed to stop him from setting foot on the land.
Nlemigbo, who hails from Mbaitoli LGA, is reportedly asserting ownership over a portion of the land, claiming that it was handed over to him by the National Root Crop Research Institute (NRCRI). However, the OEYM has dismissed his claim as fraudulent, bizarre, and a desperate attempt to seize land belonging to the rightful owners in Ohaji-Egbema.
Speaking on behalf of the group, its President, Comrade Gerald Ukah, made it clear that the youths of Ohaji-Egbema would mobilize massively to resist any attempt by Nlemigbo to encroach on the land.
The land in question, a vast expanse of 18,000 plots, was the subject of intense legal battles spanning several decades. The rightful ownership of the land has been conclusively settled in favor of Matthew Akpelu through multiple court rulings, culminating in a final decision by the Supreme Court of Nigeria.
The legal dispute over the land began when certain individuals, led by Paulinus Chukwu and others, attempted to take possession of the palm plantation in defiance of existing ownership claims. The case went through various judicial stages, with Akpelu consistently asserting his ownership rights. The matter was first heard at the Imo State High Court sitting in Oguta, where Justice Njiribeako delivered a landmark judgment on October 28, 1996, ruling in favor of Akpelu.
The court upheld that Akpelu was the authentic owner of the land, effectively invalidating any contrary claims. Dissatisfied with this decision, Chukwu and his group proceeded to the Court of Appeal in a bid to overturn the ruling. However, the appellate court upheld the High Court’s decision, affirming Akpelu’s ownership once again.
Undeterred, the appellants escalated the case to the Supreme Court in Suit Number SC/250/2005. After thorough legal scrutiny, Nigeria’s apex court dismissed their appeal and reaffirmed that Matthew Akpelu was the rightful owner of the disputed land. The Supreme Court’s ruling was clear and unequivocal, leaving no room for further disputes. It praised the lower court’s handling of the case, emphasizing that the decision was based on sound legal principles. Additionally, the Supreme Court imposed a fine of N100,000 on the appellants, ordering that it be paid to Akpelu as costs.
This ruling was meant to put an end to all controversies surrounding the land. However, despite the clear verdict from the highest court in the land, some individuals have continued to disregard the judgment, attempting to claim portions of the land through illegal means.
The controversy surrounding this claim has sparked outrage, with many questioning the legality of such an arrangement. Critics argue that an agricultural agency like NRCRI does not have the authority to hand over land in Ohaji-Egbema to a private individual, especially one from another local government area. “Does any portion of the land belong to NRCRI in the first place? Never! This claim is fraudulent, and Nlemigbo must never go close to that land,” an outraged community leader stated.
The OEYM has accused Nlemigbo of attempting to use the land grab as a means of generating financial resources for his rumored governorship ambition in Imo State ahead of the 2027 election. According to the group, the entire scheme is designed to enable him to sell off portions of the land and amass a financial war chest for his political aspirations. “His desperation is not about agriculture or development; it is about his personal ambition. He wants to sell the land of innocent people to fund his political ambition,” Ukah alleged.
In a direct appeal to Governor Hope Uzodimma, the youth group urged the state government to distance itself from individuals like Nlemigbo, whom they described as political pretenders. They alleged that while Nlemigbo professes loyalty to the governor in public, he is secretly mobilizing funds for his own political future without the directive of the governor. “Governor Uzodimma is a wonderful brother and father to us in Ohaji-Egbema, and we appeal to him to be wary of these political pretenders who claim to support him but are only out for their selfish interests,” the group stated.
The latest development adds to the growing tension over the Ogburuzo Ogwu Palm Plantation, which has been at the center of a series of land-grabbing scandals involving top government officials. With the involvement of the youth movement, the conflict appears to be escalating, and unless urgent intervention is taken, it could result in a major confrontation on the ground.
The youths are calling on the Imo State Government and security agencies to swiftly intervene before the situation spirals out of control. The call for justice and the protection of rightful landowners has become louder, as the people of Ohaji-Egbema have made it clear that they will not stand by and watch their ancestral land be taken away under any guise.
Efforts to contact the accused were unsuccessful, as their phone numbers were unreachable at the time of filing this report.
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