The people of Etiti Ngwo in Enugu South local government area of Enugu state have disagreed with the petition by the landlords of Olympic layout, Enugu to the governor, Rt. Hon. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi alleging threat and intimidation by natives.
The Landlords of Olympic Layout Enugu, had in petition to the Governor, alleged the continued unlawful demolision of their properties and forceful take over of lands belonging to them by representatives of Etiti village in Ngwo Community of Enugu South Council Area of the state.
They also alleged that the natives have been perpetrating the inhuman act against them with the help of a Superintendent of Police, SP Chidebere Ijiomah.
But speaking to our correspondent, the counsel to the community, Chief MC Onoh described the petition as “a catalogue of lies” with the sole intent of misleading the government and the public.
Chief Onoh wondered how the petitioners can be quoting the judgment of a State High Court when both the Appellate and Supreme Courts have laid the case to a permanent rest in favour of Etiti Ngwo.
“The petition can pass as a tissue of lies and object of laughter because on Wednesday, 9th December, 2015, the Court of Appeal in its unanimous judgment on Appeal No. CA/E/103/2000, delivered by Justice Rita Nosakhare Pemu set aside the judgment of Hon. Justice I.A. Umezurike dated 2nd October, 1996 with suit number E/439/89; the same suit the landlords were referencing.
“Also, on Monday, October 14th, 2019, the Apex Court on SC.440/2016, summarily dismissed the appeal of the matter by the people of Akegbe-Ugwu that sold the land which never belonged to them to these landlords.
“Application for stay of execution and injunction withdrawn is hereby struck out. Appeal struck out for want of diligent prosecution,” was the exact judgment of the Supreme Court delivered by Justice Olabode Rhodes-Vivour, Chief Onoh said.
Chief Onoh also dismissed as false, the claim by the landlords that their properties were destroyed by the Etiti Ngwo stressing that rather, the community were magnanimous in victory and asked them to regularize their position in the land issue.
“Contrary to the mischievous and fabricated lies contained in the petition of the said ‘Landlords’, the people of Etiti Ngwo never at any time, destroyed any property as alleged and/0r engage in any illegalities. As a matter of fact, the people of Etiti Ngwo after successful outing at the Supreme Court of Nigeria were magnanimous in victory and invited the said ‘landlords’ for a meeting, through their appointed representatives, where they were offered the opportunity to regularize their position in the land in issue, purportedly acquired from the ‘former owner’ (the people of Umuakum Attakwu Village, Akwuke) by negotiating with the people of Etiti Ngwo. The people of Etiti Ngwo also in their magnanimous nature have created and still constructing a 3-kilometre asphalt road with drainages and bridges in the land for the use of all residents therein, including the said ‘landlords’.”
Absolving the police of any wrong-doing as alleged by the petitioners, Chief Onoh said that they have been professional in the discharge of their duty on the matter and their involvement was because of the petition of the people of Etiti Ngwo to the inspector general of police after they were shot at by the people of Umuakum Atakwu Akwuke when they came to “reap the fruit of their Appeal Court judgment.
“It was after our petition that the IGP assigned the criminal complaint to the Special Tactical Squad, STS Enugu, headed by SP Chidiebere Ijiomah and the office investigated the said criminal acts and since then, normalcy and/or orderliness has been restored therein, thereby allowing the parties to ventilate their claims in the appropriate court.”
Chief Onoh while describing the Governor as “a true democrat and a leader that would always ensure that the rule of law prevails’, appealed to him to disregard the petition “which seeks to divert attention from the real issue in this matter or mischievously mislead you on the finality of the said Supreme Court Judgment in respect of the issue.”
