The people of Umuoyima community in Owerri Municipal Council, Imo State, have raised alarm over what they described as unlawful encroachment of their ancestral land known as Ugwumiri Okpo Umuoyima Ottamiri River Green Belt by a government Contractor, CUDOC Construction Company, describing it as unfair and the height of humiliation.
The people, who expressed their feelings while speaking to newsmen during a protest at the site on Thursday, said that they would not relent in the effort to protect their fatherland, adding that they are prepared to do so with the last drop of their blood.
Speaking to newsmen on behalf of the people, Elder Charles Ucheoma, Secretary General, Elders Council Umuoyima community, said, “the land is our ancestral land. We have documents to back our claims. It was released to us in 2021 by the then Commissioner for Lands, Imo State, Barr. Enyinnaya Onuegbu, who is at present, a Commissioner in the Ministry.
His words, “We went to the government and paid more than N4 million naira for the approval and release of this land back to the community which they did in 2021. We have been using this land since 2021, and People have been farming on it . We have already given some portions to people who want to develop it. About three or four months ago, somebody from the Imo State House of Assembly, Hon. Amara Iwuanyanwu, interfered. He came to take the land. We followed it up. We dragged it for some weeks. He brought fake documents, that he was given the land by the Ministry of Lands. We went to the Ministry of Lands and discovered that it was fake. He was parading a CoO of Owerri North, whereas this is Owerri Municipal Council. When he discovered that the land is not his, he ran away.
“All of a sudden, about a month ago, CUDOC came to this land. CUDOC is a contractor the government asked to dredge the Ottamiri River. The company was asked by the government to take not more than 35 meters from the river. We were given the information from the government. They said we should allow him take 35 meters from the river, and we were not against that. But what surprised us is that the company owned by one Chinedu Chukwuonye, left the 35 meters and went up to 170 meters. The government measured it before releasing it to us. From the river to the end is 170 meters. If he takes 35 meters, we will still have 135 meters left. He is now trying to grab the people’s land, instead of taking what the government approved for him”
Continuing, he said, “We have already fenced this place up to ten plots, but he has destroyed it; destroyed people’s crops like banana, plantain and cassava”
The spokesman, who alleged that the CUDOC Chairman borrowed money from the bank for the project, and was looking for a way to pay back the loan, said that they would not allow him to grab their land for the purpose of servicing the loan.
On the effort made so far, he said, “We have petitioned the Ministry of Lands and other relevant authorities, he still continued, and we cannot accept that. We have brought coffin this morning for him to leave this place. We’re inviting the press to let him know that the community is angry with what he is doing. Let him steer clear of the land”.
Saying that the government contracted him for the job, but did not tell him to grab people’s land, Elder Ucheoma appealed to the government of Imo State to intervene by telling him to leave their land, as it was officially released to them by the government of Imo State.
