By Izunna Okafor, Awka
The President General of Enugwu-Agidi community, Njikoka Local Government Area of Anambra State, Mr. Chukwuebuka Onuorah, has denied having any intention to dispossess any individual, group, or village of their land or other property.
Mr. Onuorah was speaking in response to the allegation that he and the Transition Committee Chairman for Njikoka Local Government, Mr. Clement Aguiyi, are using their position and influence to witch-hunt and dispossess the people of Normu Village in Enugwu-Agidi of their land.
Recall that Normu villagers in Enugwu-Agidi had recently staged a peaceful protest against what they described as the ploy and plot of their PG and the TC Chairman to snatch and sell their (Normu’s) remaining portion of land located at the entrance of Enugwu-Agidi community from the Awka—Onitsha Expressway, opposite the Enugwu-Agidi International Timber and General Goods Market, which was a gigantic market built on a land willingly donated decades ago by the same Normu village.
The allegation and the consequent protest came barely two days after some groups of armed men purportedly sent by the PG and the LG Chairman, reportedly stormed the said Normu’s land at the popular Enugwu-Agidi Junction and served all the shop owners thereon a less than 48-hour eviction notice to vacate the land, informing them that everything met on the land in the next 48 hours from the day of the notice would be bulldozed.
The villagers, during the protest, said that their assumption was further strengthened by the fact that the eviction and demolition notice was served without their knowledge and consultation as the authentic owners of the land; hence propelling them to protest against the proposed forceful and unwarranted invasion of their land, for whatsoever reason.
However, in an interview with this reporter, Izunna Okafor; the President General of the community, Mr. Onuorah denied the land grabbing allegation, and said there was nothing like that.
The PG who spoke to the journalist during the demolition and clearing of some structures on the said land on Friday, said he never had any intention to take anybody’s land, let alone selling it.
He explained that Governor Chukwuma Soludo had issued a directive through the Local Government Chairman, for the removal of all illegal structures, adding that the demolition and clearance they were carrying out that day on the said land were in line with the directives of the Governor; as well as to beautify the entrance of their community.
“What we are doing here today is to remove all illegal structures, as was directed by the local government and the state government; as well as to beautify the entrance of our community. That is what we are doing here today; nothing else,” he said.
Responding to the allegation of land snatching, the PG said “My brother, this is road. And no normal person can snatch road. This is the entrance of our community, and that is what we are beautifying. We are not dragging anybody land with him. So, there is nothing like that; it is just a propaganda.
“As you can see now (pointing to the bulldozer on duty, we are removing all the illegal structures, including the overgrown trees; you can see it yourself, and you can also view it yourself. After removing these, we will beautify the entrance of our community and also plant these coconuts and palm seedlings here to make the place look even much better and green. So, nobody is dragging anybody’s land with him; and I don’t know where that one is coming from.”
When asked if he and his team informed the owners of the land (Normu villagers) about the project before embarking on it, he said: “My brother, we are servants of the people. And I can assure my good people of Enugwu-Agidi that there is no cause for alarm. We are only here to carry out and comply with the directives of the state government and the local government, simple!. And nobody is selling or dragging anybody’s land with him.”
