By Our Correspondent
Tension has gripped Urum Community in Awka North Local Government Area of Anambra State following allegations that over 1,000 plots of the communal Ochiokwa land were illegally sold to a private developer for the establishment of what is now being promoted as “Heaven Estate,” without the knowledge or consent of the community members and leadership.
The disputed land, located at Ochiokwa boundary axis between Urum, Achalla and Amanuke, is said to be at the centre of a fresh controversy after Mr. Chukwuemeka Okechukwu Kingsley (popularly known as Nwagu Ata Ahịhịa) and owner of Nwagụataahịhịa Property and Homes, allegedly commenced development activities on the property. These transactions and activities, reports said, were carried out without authorization from the President General or the Town Union leadership.
Leaders of Urum Community described the alleged transaction as a direct affront to the collective authority of the town and its people, stressing that Ochiokwa land is a sacred communal heritage reclaimed through historic struggles with neighbouring communities. They maintained that the land is not a private asset to be disposed of without broad-based consultation and due process.
In their show of communal spirit, youths, elders and members of the town union, led by the President General, Hon. Sir Felix Godwin Oranye, stormed the site to register their displeasure and warn against further construction activities. Upon their arrival at the site, there was heavy presence of armed security there, including the military.
The community leadership, in their reactions, cautioned the developer against bulldozing or fencing the land, especially as litigations concerning ownership are reportedly pending before the High Court of Anambra State.
According to the President General while speaking at the scene, efforts made over the past year to resolve the dispute amicably had yielded no positive outcome. He lamented that farmlands cultivated by Urum women, alongside economic trees valued at several millions of naira, were allegedly destroyed in the course of the ongoing development. He further questioned claims that certain traditional authorities endorsed the deal, noting that no documentary evidence had been presented to the community leadership to substantiate such assertions.
The PG also expressed concern that after an intervention meeting reportedly convened at the palace of Igwe Nnewi where the developer hails from, he (the developer) was unable to present valid title documents to support his claim. He described as troubling the continued marketing of the land despite unresolved legal and communal disputes surrounding it.
The latest reactions of the Urum PG and the storming of the community members at the land is coming following the recent emergence of a video currently trending on social media showing the said developer, Mr. Chukwuemeka at the project site, showcasing ongoing works at the said estate, including the perimeter fencing of the land and other construction activities.
In the viral footage, he’s maintained that the estate project was aimed at driving development in line with Governor Chukwuma Soludo’s “Think Home” philosophy, even as he further declared that anybody resisting such development is a detractor and enemy of progress. The developer is also seen in the video inviting investors to take advantage of the estate’s proximity to Awka, describing it as a prime location with only minutes from Regina Caeli Junction.
Mr. Chukwuebuka, in the video, also assured prospective investors that his mission was strictly developmental, insisting that no amount of resistance would deter the project. He was also seen promoting the estate to Ndi Igbo and other interested buyers, projecting that his personal residence within the estate would be completed by February next year.
Further in their reactions and amid the escalating tensions, Urum Community also took formal legal steps by publishing a Caveat Emptor in the February 12, 2026 edition of Vanguard Newspaper. The public notice, titled “Formal Caveat and Request to Suspend All Land File Actions, Registration and Issuance of Certificate of Occupancy in Respect of Ochiokwa Land,” warned the general public and relevant government authorities against engaging in any transaction concerning the disputed property.
The publication referenced pending suits numbered A/324/2025 and A/377/2025 before the High Court of Anambra State, Awka Judicial Division, and notified the Ministry of Lands that the parcels of land known as Ochiokwa are already subjects of litigation. The community’s solicitors formally demanded an immediate suspension of any land file processing, registration, ratification or issuance of Certificate of Occupancy in favour of the developer or associated parties pending judicial determination.
They further urged the Ministry and its officers to place official restrictions on the land registry records relating to the property, emphasizing that any attempt to perfect title while the matter is sub judice would amount to overreaching and contempt of court.
According to reports, as this legal battle progresses, residents of Urum say they remain resolute in protecting what they describe as ancestral land tied to the sacrifices of their forebears.
More photos and videos from the scene:
