The Onuogba community in Enugu East local government area of Enugu State has dismissed claims that former Minister of Power, Prof. Bath Nnaji, is involved in land grabbing in their area.
Reports emerged last weekend that protesters from Ezza-Nkomoro accused the chairman of Geometric Power of land grabbing following Prof. Nnaji’s attempt to reclaim his land at Onuogba-Nike, located off the Enugu-Abakaliki highway.
However, during a press briefing, Chief Emmanuel Ubosi, the former President General of Onuogba-Nike, asserted that these allegations are completely unfounded. He stated that the Nkomolo people are tenants in the area, questioning how a “visitor can own ancestral land in another community.”
He elaborated that the Nkomoro people, who accuse Prof. Nnaji of land grabbing, are migrants from Ezza-Agu in Ezza North local government area of Ebonyi State. They were permitted to occupy a specific portion of Onuogba-Nike land and hold no rights over the rest of it.
“We, the Onuogba-Nike, invited the Ezza people in 1956 during a dispute with our neighbouring Nkwubo community, which had also invited another group of Ezza people over a different land dispute at ‘Aǹuri.’ We ultimately came to a peaceful agreement. Our people allocated over 62 hectares of land in Ogbagu for them to reside in.”
Presenting a map of the area, Chief Ubosi indicated that the Ezza people moved beyond the land originally given to them and began encroaching on other lands at Ogbanu and Idume.
He stressed that the land Prof. Nnaji is accused of grabbing is located in Idume; therefore, claims of a forceful takeover are unfounded.
“Prof. Bath Nnaji acquired the land from Alinta, whom our people sold the land in 1978. He has used this land to cultivate citrus and pineapples.
“They contested the ownership of this land as far back as 1974, leading our people to take legal action. We received a favorable judgment on March 27, 2004, during Justice Innocent Umezuruike’s tenure. They appealed in 2005 and lost again, with our favour confirmed on June 24, 2016.”
He urged the government to ensure that the Nkomoro people refrain from encroaching on land that rightfully belongs to the Onuogba community, which has been legitimately sold to Prof. Nnaji.
On the matter of legal proceedings, Prof. Nnaji’s attorney, Barr. Benjamin Nwobodo stated that while the land issue was before the court, the Ezza people failed to submit any documents to contest Alinta’s ownership, from whom Nnaji bought the land.
“It was only after Justice Olaedo’s ruling in 2013, which affirmed Alinta’s rights, that Alinta’s children decided to transfer possession to Prof. Nnaji, prompting the Ezza people to create unrest. Nnaji has not dispossessed the Nkomoro people of their land; the buildings that were demolished do not belong to them, and Prof. Nnaji has extended an olive branch to any affected individuals for negotiation.
“Therefore, Prof. Nnaji’s assertion of his property rights is valid. The Nkomoro people reside adjacent to his land, not within it. Thus, Prof. Nnaji is not a land grabber, as he acquired his land legally. The Nkomoro community’s stay of execution request was unsuccessful even in the Appeal Court, leading them to resort to protests and name-calling,” Nwobodo concluded.
