From Godwin Tsa Abuja
The people of Mbaishi in Ngor Okpala Local Government Area of Imo State has appealed to President Bola Tinubu to intervene in the alleged unlawful land grabbing in the community by the state government in collusion with security agencies.
The community specifically alleged that the state government and security agencies have forcefully taken over their farmland measuring over 30, 000 hectares and handed same over to Evangelist Ebuka Obi and his Zion Ministry Incorporated.
Addressing a world press conference in Abuja on Wednesday, spokesperson of the community, Dr. Ugojim Nwoko equally called on President Tinubu and the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Gen. Christopher Musa to prevail on the state governor, Hope Uzodinma and the security agencies over their alleged involvement in unlawful land grabbing in the community.
Dr. Nwoko who described the development as an “economic genocide” against the community said more than 80 percent of their farm land has been taken, despite the fact that the people are predominantly farmers who depend on their farm land for their daily existence.
He listed the affected communities to include; Eziama, Alulu, Amala, Ntu, Obokwe, and Oburu autonomous communities located in Ngor-Okpala Local Government Area of Imo State with a combined land mass of over 200 km2, adding that from these communities, five additional autonomous communities of Alatia-Amala, Ikem, Ubichukwu, Umuchulu and Okpala have been created.
This is a gross violation of Article 22 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, which guarantees the rights to property, economic, social and cultural development with due regard to our freedom and identity and in the equal enjoyment of the common heritage of mankind. The Charter in Article 14 specifies that the right to property can only be encroached upon for reasons of public need or general interest of the community.
The embattled community further claimed that they were taken unawares because the state government at no time approached them for the said land before the heavy deployment of combat ready troops to harass and intimidate the locals.
Nwoko also accused the government of disobeying a court ruling obtained by two villages that earlier took the matter to court when in 2006 the administration of former Governor Achike Udenwa attempted to acquire a portion of their land for a Chinese village, before the Chinese relocated to Ogun State.
He also took a swipe at the Armed Forces for their alleged involvement in the unlawful land grabbing by the Imo State government.