From Okey Sampson, Umuahia
Tension is brewing in some Abia communities as the traditional ruler of Okahia Autonomous Community in Obingwa council area of Abia State, Eze Okey Ananaba has raised the alarm over massive acquisition of land in the area by suspected herdsmen.
Eze Ananaba who showed great concern over the development, described the situation if found to be true, to pose serious security threats going by what the herders had been known to be doing in different parts of the country.
He stated that the destruction of farm crops and possession of illegal arms like AK- 47 rifles by the herders have aggravated tension in the rural communities as the herdsmen threaten to kill the vigilantes and farmers who challenge them.
Ananaba expressed concern that suspected herders have already acquired over 5,000 plots of land in strategic border communities such as Mgboko Umuanunu, near the boundary with Akwa Ibom state and Akpaa Mbato community behind the National Institute for Nigerian Languages, NINLAN, Ovom, Aba
“We are concerned that suspected herders have already acquired over 5,000 plots of land in strategic border communities such as Mgboko Umuanunu, near the border with Akwa Ibom state and Akpaa Mbato community behind the National Institute for Nigerian Languages, NINLAN, Ovom, Aba. There are other massive land acquisitions in other communities in Obingwa LGA and environs.
“These land acquisitions pose serious security threats and could be used as operational bases for violent attacks on local residents. We don’t know the reason behind the acquisition of these massive land areas in most communities in Obingwa LGA.
The monarch disclosed that traditional rulers in the area have severally petitioned the Abia State Government over ongoing land transactions, but lamented that nothing has been done to check the ugly trend.
“Traditional rulers in Obingwa LGA have petitioned the Abia State Government to halt the ongoing land transactions. But our efforts have been ignored, this continues to threaten the people and raising fears of impending violence.
“Traditional rulers are the people at the rural communities, the government should give urgent attention to any report from us because we feel the pain. We are the eye of the government in our communities.”
He called on Governor Alex Otti to investigate the trend of massive land acquisitions in Obingwa council by suspected herdsmen to prevent a repeat of the bandits and herdsmen’ violent attacks on indigenes of communities as being witnessed in Benue and Plateau States.