The People of Umunagu village Achalla, in Awka North Local government area of Anambra State, have appealed to the state governor, Chukwuma Soludo, to help them avert a looming communal clash between them and the neighbouring Amanuke community.
The appeal followed an encroachment on a portion of land belonging to Achalla by some land speculators in Amanuke of the same Council Area.
In an interview with Nigerian Tribune, the elders of Umuanagu village said there was an urgent need for the state government through its relevant authorizes to urgently intervene by calling the land grabbers to order in the interest of peace and security of lives and property.
One of them, a ninety-year-old man, Mr Mkpuora Nnazuo narrated how they had been in occupation of the said land since time immemorial until recently when some elements began to encroach and sell portions of the land.
Another Community leader, Chief Paul Ejike narrated that the portion of land which falls close to the boundary between the two communities was contested in court for over twenty-five years, a case that the Achalla community won at various courts.
Chief Ejike noted that the elders had recently met with some community leaders in Amanuke over the land grabbers’ activities, but the leaders explained that they were not in support or part of any discussion to encroach into the land which belonged to Umunagu village, Achalla.
He, therefore, appealed to the governor Soludo-led administration to urgently look into the matter to avoid an unwarranted clash between farmers in the area and their neighbouring brothers.
The former president general of Achalla, described it as unfair and unacceptable for a few individuals who feel that they were smart would turn and be selling neighbouring communal land just to make quick money and cause problems for the society.
” We have the place called Nobi land, and we share boundaries with Amanuke, well-defined demarcation. Between 1913 and 1937 we had issues over the said portion of land and the matter went up to the supreme court.”
” And we won in all the court cases including the one at High Court Onitsha. After the 1937 judgment which was in Favour of Umunagu village Achalla, we erected necessary beckons showing the size and boundary of the land. Since that time, we have been farming on the land while our neighbours in Amanuke have also been on their own portion. Not until about two to three years ago when some individual elements began to encroach on the land and started selling it to people this year. We had to send elders to meet the stakeholders in Amanuke who denied involvement in the development noting that they were not in support of the land grabbers.
Suddenly we started seeing pegs around the land, we erected signposts to alert unsuspected buyers, and the group went and removed and carried them away. We are appealing to the state government to come and look into the matter as we have every document showing the land belongs to us. ”
Other respondents while condemning the act, advised estate developers and Realtors to always confirm the authenticity of the property offered to them for sale, to avoid falling into the wrong hands.
In an interview, the President General of Amanuke Community, Mr Sam Okoye said the two communities were engaging in a discussion to ensure that peace is maintained in the area.
Mr Okoye however noted that the stakeholders had meetings on the land issue adding that Amanuke will continue to agitate for peace and nothing more.
The PG also cautioned land grabbers and speculators to stay away from the land in question in their own personal interest.
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