Worried by the viral video showing malnourished persons in a settlement in a part of Enugu, JOURNALIST101 paid a visit to the area.
Our correspondent was at the settlement known as Ugba Edo Ogori, located at Amorji, Nkubo, Nike, Enugu East local government area of Enugu State and interacted with some of the settlers in the area.
Our correspondent gathered that some of the persons living the settlement have stayed there for decades and they’re mainly from Ebonyi State and Ezeagu part of Enugu State.
Some of them, their parents started staying in the settlement before Igwe R C Ani, the original owner of the land sold it.
While it’s true that the people are malnourished, one factor which we gathered has made the place remain in such condition is that the settlement belongs to renown Catholic Priest; Father Edeh.
The leadership of the settlement said the Reverend Father allowed them to stay in the place after he bought because some of them are working in the University while many of them are there because of the access to vast acres of land which they’re cultivating at no cost.
They told our correspondent they’re only allowed to construct a makeshift structure there. “As you can see, all the structures in this place, isn’t something solid or standard, this is because, we’re not the owners of the land.
“Sometime ago, the Father came to tell us to get ready to vacate the land because he will be making use of the land any moment.
They admitted that the government couldn’t assist them in building any basic amenity because the property is a private one.
IS GOVERNMENT SILENT?
Though Enugu State Government is yet to react to the viral video, a government source told JOURNALIST101 there’s nothing anyone can do about it and the only two options is for them to evacuate the property or let the Father eject them from his land.
“Government can’t build a hospital, school or any amenity on someone’s property,” the source who doesn’t want his name in print because he’s not authorised to speak on the matter said.
“The government can only move in there if there’s a crime being committed there or if those people living there said they’re kept there against their wish but nothing of such has been heard about the place.
“I don’t know what anyone wants the government to do. The person that did the video which has gone viral was quick to call on the government without doing due diligence on the state of things in the place.”
Asked if he’s not worried politicians might capitalise on the video and discredit the current government, he said “that will amount to stupidity as no one will know that this land is a private property and still expect the state government to go there.”
JOURNALIST101 recalls that this is the same land in which there was a sudden gas flaring issue not too long ago. Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi visited the site himself.
However, there were reports the reception from the priest who owns the property wasn’t palatable, he felt the government wanted to encroach into his property even when the safety of the citizens was at stake.
