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From Emmanuel Uzor, Awka
A renewed crisis between Nneyi-Umueri and Nsugbe communities in Anambra East council area has resulted to destruction of property and led to injuries that sent no fewer than five persons to hospital.
Daily Sun gathered that the renewed hostilities between these communities got to crescendo in the early hours of Wednesday, November 22, 2023 when youths of the communities exchanged blows over ownership of a parcel of land. It was further alleged that trouble started when some youths from Umueri went to mount signpost on the disputed land and they were allegedly attacked by youths suspected to be from Nsugbe.
During the ensuing crisis, over five persons sustained life threatening injuries,while five vehicles and other valuables were destroyed.
The said land crisis between Nneyi Umueri and Enugwu-Nsugbe villages which dates back to 1906 is said to have claimed many lives in the area whenever Nneyi Umueri clashed with Enugwu-Nsugbe.
Speaking on the development, a community leader and Chief Security Officer of Nneyi-Umeri, Anikpeh Joseph Obaelue said the land in contention belongs to Nneyi Umueri, adding that they have no common boundary with Enugwu-Nsugbe and wondered what could lead to the other community laying claims to the disputed land.
“We have three quarters in Nneyi Umueri. They are Mmanoma, Akwuete and Ekpe. Those at the Supreme Court now are Akwuete quarter and Ofianta-Nsugbe. But after sometime, Enugwu-Nsugbe started claiming ownership of some parts of Nneyi Umueri. It all started with siting of the airport in Umueri”
Obaelue also claimed that Nsugbe had sold out all their lands and now resorted to forcefully grabbing lands that belong to Nneyi-Umueri, adding that Enugwu-Nsugbe is nowhere close Nneyi.
Meanwhile a community leader from Nsugbe community, who pleaded anonymity alleged that that the whole episode was an assassination attempt on Nsugbe people by Nneyi Umueri.
He said Nsugbe community has a court judgement of 1906 on the said land and traced the recent crisis to an alleged encroachment into the land by Nneyi-Umueri who allegedly mounted beacons on the disputed land.
All efforts to get the reaction of Anambra State Police Command over the recent crisis proved abortive as calls and text messages put across to the State Police Public Relations Officer(PPRO), DSP Ikenga Toochukwu, were not replied as at the time of this report.
