— Describe His Claims That FG Sold To Him Supreme Court-Decided Land As Treasonable
The long-standing land dispute over the vast Ogburuzo Ogwu Palm Plantation in the Nkaraha community has taken a dramatic turn, as Prince Marcon Nlemigbo, already facing widespread backlash from the Ohaji-Egbema Youth Movement (OEYM) and local stakeholders, now claims he purchased the disputed land from the Federal Government over 30 years ago.
This latest claim comes despite a 2013 Supreme Court judgment that definitively settled the ownership of the land in favor of Mr. Matthew Akpelu. Legal analysts and community leaders have described Nlemigbo’s assertion as “legally absurd,” “historically dishonest,” and “an insult to the highest court in the land.”
The land in question, said to encompass about 18,000 plots, has been the subject of legal battles spanning decades. After years of litigation, including appeals up to the Supreme Court in Suit Number SC/250/2005, the apex court delivered a conclusive judgment on December 13, 2013. The ruling dismissed the claims of rival parties and unequivocally declared Matthew Akpelu the rightful owner of the land.
The court not only upheld the decision of the Court of Appeal, which had earlier reversed the High Court’s flawed ruling, but it also awarded costs of N100,000 against the appellants for what the justices described as a baseless and protracted legal battle.
“This judgment was meant to bring finality and peace to an already volatile land dispute. Any subsequent claim to the land outside the Supreme Court decision is not only invalid but criminal,” a constitutional lawyer, Barr. Ifeanyi Okoroafor, said in response to the latest developments.
In a media report on Monday, Prince Nlemigbo claimed that he acquired the land from the Federal Government more than three decades ago — a period that predates the 2013 Supreme Court ruling. He argued that his ownership was facilitated through a transfer from the National Root Crops Research Institute (NRCRI), suggesting that the land fell under federal agricultural holdings.
However, community leaders and stakeholders in Ohaji-Egbema have dismissed this claim as laughable and deeply suspicious. “How can the Federal Government sell ancestral land belonging to Ohaji-Egbema people to a private individual from another LGA?” queried Chief Ignatius Uzoaru, a respected elder from Nkaraha. “And worse still, how could such a transaction stand against a Supreme Court verdict delivered barely 12 years ago?”
The President of OEYM, Comrade Gerald Ukah, also responded sharply, stating: “This is not only fraudulent, it is dangerous. If Prince Nlemigbo claims to have bought the land from the Federal Government, let him provide documents superior to the judgment of the Supreme Court. If such documents exist, we strongly suspect forgery — a criminal offense for which he must be held accountable.”
With no known public records or gazette supporting Nlemigbo’s claim of federal land ownership in the disputed area, suspicions of document forgery have begun to circulate. Legal practitioners have emphasized that no deed of assignment or certificate of occupancy can nullify a Supreme Court judgment.
“If Mr. Nlemigbo indeed possesses documents purporting to grant him ownership of that land post-2013, such documents are not only invalid but may constitute criminal forgery. This could expose him to prosecution under Sections 363 and 364 of the Nigerian Criminal Code,” Barr. Okoroafor added.
Meanwhile, the situation on the ground is becoming increasingly volatile. The OEYM has banned Nlemigbo from stepping foot in Nkaraha and other parts of Ohaji-Egbema, warning that any attempt to access the land will be met with massive resistance.
Residents accuse Nlemigbo of attempting to leverage the land to generate funds for a rumored 2027 governorship ambition. “This is not about agriculture or development; it’s about selfish political ambition. He wants to convert our land into his campaign war chest,” Comrade Ukah said.
Amid the rising tension, community leaders and civil society organizations have called on Governor Hope Uzodimma and relevant security agencies to immediately intervene before the situation escalates into violence.
“We trust Governor Uzodimma to uphold justice and rule of law. He should not allow political actors to exploit government institutions to dispossess our people. Nlemigbo is not acting in the governor’s interest. He is acting for himself,” said Chief Uzoaru.
Security analysts have warned that failure to act swiftly could ignite wider unrest, especially in a community that has long borne the brunt of land exploitation by outside interests.
As the protest against Nlemigbo deepens, one fact remains unshaken: the ownership of the Ogburuzo Ogwu Palm Plantation was decided by the Supreme Court in favor of Matthew Akpelu. Any other claim, no matter how well packaged, is legally inferior, potentially criminal, and morally bankrupt.
The people of Ohaji-Egbema have made it clear—they will not sit idly by while their ancestral land is allegedly parceled out under the guise of federal authorization. The battle for justice, for them, has been settled by the Supreme Court.
