Abia community, monarch trade words over land theft

Indigenes of Umunenweze Okpualla community, Okaiuga Nkwoegwu, Umuahia North Local Government Area of Abia State, have accused their traditional ruler, Eze Paul Uzuegbu, and village head, Ejikeme Emereuwa, of illegally encroaching on, selling and donating ancestral land despite a 2022 court judgment nullifying Uzuegbu’s Ezeship. This is as the traditional ruler said he had appealed the judgment that removed him from the throne and denied the allegations of land grabbing. Speaking through a communiqué during a protest at the Government House in Umuahia on Wednesday, the spokesman for the indigenes, Mr Okechukwu Uzuegbu, described the actions as “brazen lawlessness, impunity, and daylight robbery.” He said the community’s executives, elders, landowners and residents viewed the actions as “brazen lawlessness, impunity, and daylight robbery.” The community also referenced Suit No. HU/59/2015, in which Justice O.A. Chijioke, on March 8, 2022, reportedly declared Eze Uzuegbu’s Ezeship “null and void.” He said, “Despite this, Eze Uzuegbu continues to parade himself as a paramount ruler, using thugs and compromised elements to forcefully take over lands in Umunenweze Okpualla. “The land in question, located within Okaiuga Nkwoegwu, Umuahia North, is the rightful heritage of the community. But Eze Uzuegbu, in cahoots with Emereuwa, has violated property rights and threatened community peace.” The community members stated that they had resolved during a meeting that Umunenweze Okpualla land must be returned to its rightful owners. The communiqué read, “We demand the immediate cessation of all illegal activities by Uzuegbu, Emereuwa and their agents, including the submission of false letters and forged documents to the government claiming the community had relinquished land rights. Further trespass will be treated as deliberate incitement to chaos. “We reject all illegal land transactions. The community warns the public, estate developers and prospective buyers that Uzuegbu and Emereuwa have no legal authority to lease, sell, donate or allocate Umunenweze land. “We specifically cite the alleged illegal sale of a parcel known as ‘Okpuijikara’ to a construction firm. Ndukwe has refused to obey a State High Court injunction halting development pending determination of the case filed against Uzuegbu, Emereuwa, the developers and others. Anyone buying from them is ‘purchasing a costly lawsuit’ and will be treated as an accomplice to land theft. “We call on law enforcement agencies for urgent intervention. We appeal to the Umuahia Police Command, Governor Alex Otti and th