Okpuno Community in Awka South Local Government Area of Anambra State has threatened to take the State Ministry of Lands to court for trespassing on their land without the consideration of the community or pay a damage compensation of five hundred million naira.
They alleged that the land, filled with economic trees was forcefully taken by the Governor Willie Obiano government and in turn, sold to some scrupulous elements in the state without knowing the history therein.
The community, through their Counsel Barrister Mike Ikegbunam, who spoke to newsmen shortly after meeting with the Anambra State House of Assembly Committee on Public Petition and Conflict Resolution on Thursday, at the House conference hall Awka, said the community is demanding a sum of N500 million damaged from the State Government and the land grabbers, as a result of psychological trauma suffered by his clients (the community), in the cost of fighting to reclaim what belongs to them in the past 16 years.
He explained that the land which shares a boundary with Awka capital city and two other communities, was initially acquired by the administration of former governor of Anambra State, Chief Chukwuemeka Ezeife and Governor Chimaroke Mbaninuju, which later returned it back to the community following a complaint logged to address the matter, however, Governor Mbaninuju was removed from office and since then, the tussle has been on till this moment.
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He said that the issue of global land acquisition, as claimed by the Commissioner for Lands, Mr Bonaventure Enemali did not come to the notice of the community and prayed the committee, among other things, to investigate the role of the former Survey-General of the state and any other government official or department in the act with a view to sanctioning them.
The disputed Landmark Parcel ABCD and F were published and gazetted.
He added that the community is not against the government making use of the land for development purpose but the government should do that through a due process.
While urging the state government to urgently go for the demarcation of the land for the sake of peace, Ikegbunam, appealed to the Police and other security agencies in the state to stop harassing the people of Ukpuno.
In his brief speech, the Commissioner for Lands, Mr Bonaventure Enemali claimed that a compensation fee of seven million, five hundred and seventy-six thousand naira was paid to the community by the state government.
The Chairman of the House Committee on Public Petition and Conflict Resolution, Honorable Emeka Aforka, in his statement, observed from the submissions of both parties that there was an acquisition of land at Okpuno community by the administration of Chief Chukwuemeka Ezeife and the administration of Chief Chiwoke Mbadinuju reversed it and the issue of the global land acquisition came up in 2006 as submitted by the Commissioner for Lands, Mr Bonaventure Enemali which the community denied having knowledge of.
He advised the petitioners not to take laws into their hands, assuring them that the matter would be settled in no time.
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