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The Ugwuto community in Udi Local Government,Enugu State, has rejected claims by the legal representative of Enpower Energy Ltd, Ricky Agu, that a tripartite agreement exists between Enpower Energy, the Enugu State government, and Oildata Integrated Construction Company over their disputed land.
Speaking to journalists on Monday, Elder Emmanuel Agu, a native of Ugwuto, said the alleged agreement,said to have been signed in 2009 was “a figment of the imagination” of the lawyer. He insisted that the community does not know the identities of either Enpower Energy or Oildata Integrated Construction Company.
He recalled how Barr. Agu once visited the community and “swore with his shoes pulled off” to prove that injustice was being done to Ugwuto over the land, only for him to, in his words, “suddenly make a U-turn” before the media.
“How come the same Agu suddenly made a U-turn to tell the media that the allegation of land grabbing is a lie? It is so unfortunate. The soil which he swore to is a witness,” the octogenarian said.
The community also dismissed the lawyer’s claim that the government acquired the land and used it as equity to attract investment.
“The claim by Agu that when operations start on the land the joint venture will pay to the community 5% or whatever equity is due them is a scam. Ugwuto community is not a co-owner of Enpower and the information that some of us in the community do not want others to know about it is a divide-and-rule game to create problems so that we cannot speak with one voice,” he said.
He added that the community has no problems with the Enugu State government, insisting that “Enpower Energy Ltd and Oildata Integrated Construction Company are companies owned by Engr. Emeka Ene from Umuabi Udi,” and called on Governor Peter Mbah to intervene.
According to him, the alleged plot to seize the land began in 2019 and continues despite the matter being in court.
“The people called Enpower came to our land without authorization and began to destroy our crops. They came with bulldozer. The land is called Ugwuto Hilltop Layout and the invasion started six years ago. They claim that government gave them a certificate of occupancy, but the certificate they are carrying doesn’t have Ugwuto Hilltop Layout in it. How come they claim ownership of our land?” he said.
He further alleged that Enpower tried to get a member of the community sacked from his job in Lagos, tagging him an arsonist because he demanded proper community engagement.
Ricky Agu was also accused of boasting that Enpower could use money and connections to manipulate “the court, police, and the government” to achieve its aims, despite a court order restraining them from entering the land.
“The matter which is pending in court was adjourned to December 19, 2025, yet they are still on our land destroying crops,” he said.
He stressed that Ugwuto has a long history of donating land to the government without compensation, including areas used for the International Market, Water Reservoir, Ebeano bypass, ancient Igbo pyramids, Virgin Forest (Oshụa Uto), and twin water tanks supplying Enugu metropolis.
“This community does not have tap water after over four decades of donating the land for the project,” he added.
Also speaking, a former local government candidate and indigene of the community, Hon. Emeka Joshua Ozochi, accused the company of using security operatives to intimidate residents.
“They will come and arrest innocent people just to intimidate them with 9th Mile police and DRS,” he said.
He reaffirmed that the land was lawfully allocated to the community.
“The land we are talking about, government approved it for us. There is master plan and survey plan. The government gave us numbers with which it is known as Ugwuto Hilltop Layout and all the fees needed to be paid were paid by this community,” he said.
Ozochi alleged that despite a court order, officials in government continued to support the company’s activities on the disputed site.
“This matter is in court and the Enugu State SSG, Prof. Chidiebere Onyia, asked the Enpower people to commence work on the land even when there’s a court order barring them from working there,” he said.
He also alleged that the life of the community’s President-General had been threatened.
“They have threatened him and the last was at 9th Mile corner where they pursued him and it was by the grace of God that he escaped,” he said.
