From David Onwuchekwa, Nnewi
The people of Umunnaka, Isieke community of Okija in Ihiala Local Government Area of Anambra State have complained about disobedience to a court judgment in their favour in a land matter.
In a petition to the Inspector General of Police signed by their lawyer, LEM Danielson, the petitioners represented by Messers Ekwegbara Clement Nwokolo and Romanus Asoegwu said some people they described as thugs and criminals had continued to intrude in the land with a judgement in their favour after a protracted case.
‘There was a protracted land dispute between the representatives of the Umuizagbo and Umunkwo communities of Ogbakuba Ogbaru Local Government Area of Anambra State and Umunnaka, Umuduru, Akaha Ezengu Ubahumorie communities of Isieke Okija, Ihiala Local Government Area of Anambra State, which lasted from 1988 to February 24th, 2021.
‘The High Court of Anambra State sitting at Aguata Judicial Division gave judgement in the matter, in Suit No. 0/33/88: Ozoma Obioha & 5 others Vs Ndukwe Asoegwu & 4 others in favour of the Defendants/Counterclaimants, our clients.
‘The said judgement was published in both local and national newspapers and copied to all interested parties in the matter, including all the Obis in Okija, the Igwe of Okija, the Igwe of Ogbakuba, the President General of both towns, the parish priests, the heads of the police divisions in the relevant communities, and others whom we thought relevant to bring the said judgement to their attention,’ the statement read in part.
The petitioners said that the essence of notification was to make the relevant individuals aware of the judgement, to forestall any breakdown of law and order when the judgement creditors move to take active possession of a part of the land in dispute which was illegally and forcibly occupied by the judgement debtors.
The petition alleged that the suspects have been using all sorts of illegal means to interfere with their rights of ownership of the said land, the subject matter of the judgement of a court of competent jurisdiction. They further disclosed that some miscreants took advantage of a long time that the matter was in the court to extort money from tenants who were put on the land by the judgement creditors.
They said the invaders resorted to importing some illegal groups and individuals to intimidate, extort frighten, maim and rape women who went into the land to carry out their lawful activities.
The petitioners implored the IGP to use his good offices to investigate, arrest, where necessary, and prosecute the invaders into their property to avoid breakdown of law and order.
It was gathered that youths of the judgement creditors have been boiling to stage an act of revenge to sack whoever that worked against the court judgement but are only being restrained by the elders of the community to allow the security agents to do the needful.