Protesters Storm Enugu LGA Secretariat Over Alleged Encroachment

Ikem, the host community of Isi-Uzo Local Government Area of Enugu State, Monday, protested the proposed conversion of parts of the council’s secretariat premises to a housing estate by the council administration.

The protesters claimed that the community gave out the land to Isi-Uzo County Council in 1974 for the purpose of local government administration and “not for private residences”.

The protesters displayed placards with inscriptions, such as “Develop our land for public interest not private interest”; “Bring more development, not selling off our land.”

“This land belongs to our people”.

The traditional ruler of Ikem-Uno community and Chairman of Isi-Uzo Traditional Rulers Council, HRH Igwe Okechukwu Ogbodo, told newsmen that he had engaged the council Chairman, Barr Obiora Obeagu, on the matter but he was not forthcoming with definite answers.

Igwe Ogbodo said, “My people are seeking their rights. It’s not a violent or aggressive protest. It was not a riot.

“The thing is that there was a condition with which the land was given and now we understand that the council chairman cleared the remaining portion of that land for housing estate.

He did notify the community but I went and met him and he said he would call us, and we waited.

“What we now learnt is that the land has been advertised for sale. He is not the first local government chairman.

“If the previous chairmen had sold that portion that he cleared he wouldn’t have met any other portion of the council secretariat.

“We went for a peaceful protest to show our disapproval. Our community said they want development and not selling of the land.

“The community had a designated land for housing estate, along Ikem-Nkwo road, which was given to the federal government and is still there. There were pilot houses there; if local government wants, it can go there. They can use it.”

Responding, the council Chairman, Hon Obeagu, said, “I told the traditional ruler that we are going to meet but right now, we are busy with crucial assignments.

“They told me that the council encroached on the community land, and I told them that we have a survey plan dated 1972. They said there was another one.

“But we discovered that the community has been encouraged in the local government land. I asked them to bring their own documents.”

On the purported estate project, Obeagu said, “We made adverts that we are developing the land. I told them that they are looking for trouble because the land in question was given to the local government.

“So which community land are we selling, or do you come and tell us what to do with local government land?

“If they had given land to the state or federal government to do an estate, how does it concern us at the local government?

“Why should they come into the local government land now and say it’s their community land and that we are selling it?

“If we encroach on the community land, let them come and we correct the encroachment.

“We traced the beacons of the local government land and that was where our clearing stopped.”

Protesters Storm Enugu LGA Secretariat Over Alleged Encroachment is first published on The Whistler Newspaper