Over 500 Awka Youths, Elders Threaten War With Anambra Government Over 1,600 Plots Of Land Behind NNPC

            

Odogwuemekaodogwu.blogspot.com  reports that youths and elders of Ezinano community of Awka, Anambra
have threatened to wage war with the state government over what they
termed “the unlawful acquisition of their land” by government.

They made the threat in Awka on Tuesday when over 500 of them staged a
peaceful protest to demand the release of their 1,600 plots located behind the
NNPC Mega station, Awka.

The leader of the protest, Chief Anayo Obidigbo, who ordered artisans on
site to stop work, said that the state government did not write or consult them
before acquiring the land.

Obidgbo said that they would vehemently oppose further construction on the land
until proper acquisition was made by the state government.
“There are procedures by the Land Use Act of 1978 for acquisition of land by
government.

“No compensatory land given, compensation on crops destroyed or valuation
was made neither was there any committee set up on the part of government nor the
community,” he said.

According to him, the purported acquisition by a developer, Mr Obiene and the
state government is illegal and is not in the public interest.

“If the land was acquired for the construction of an international hospital,
you will not find us here, but what you find is that each plot is sold for
N8 million and residential building N35 million each.

“This is land speculation by shylock developers in collaboration with the
state government and we will not accept this,” he said.

Other community leaders who spoke are Chief Benjamin Moura, Chief Obi Ochijie
and an estate valuer and consultant to the community on land matters, Mr
Ifeanyichukwu Nebe.

They said that the peaceful protest was aimed at asking the government to
duly compensate them, adding that a legal action was also been considered.

“Wehave written them to come and settle with the community, but we have not
got any response from them.

“We have been told that the land was sold on a Public Private Partnership
arrangement, but how could that be done without the knowledge of the owners of the
land,” Muora said.

On his part, Ochijie said that the community was willing to immediately
settle with the owners of those plots taken already if all the terms and condition
were met.

“We want government to stay away from our land. If we see any development on
the land again government should be ready to crush us and spill our blood
because we will not accept it,” Nebe added.

Reacting however, the Permanent Secretary in the state Ministry of Lands, Survey
and Town Planning, Mr Doughlas Mba, said all land acquired by the state
government were duly compensated for.

“Government pays compensation for all the land it acquires, but if they feel
otherwise, they should notify us in writing rather than threaten war or go to the
press.

“Gov. Willie Obiano is a peace loving man and has a listening hear,” Mba said.