By Jude Opara, Abuja
The people of Mbaishi in Ngor Okpala Local Government Area (LGA) of Imo state has appealed to President Bola Tinubu and the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Gen. Christopher Musa to call Governor Hope Uzodinma and the security agencies to order over their alleged involvement in unlawful land grabbing in the community.
Addressing a world press conference in Abuja on Wednesday, spokesperson of the community, Dr. Ugojim Nwoko said the state with the cover of security operatives forcefully acquired their farm land measuring over 30,000 hectares and handed same over to Evangelist Ebuka Obi and his Zion Ministry Incorporated without any recourse to the community.
Dr. Nwoko who described the development as an “economic genocide” against the community said more than 80% 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 Sate 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.
“We are crying to the world to hear us that over 80% of our farmland, from which we make a living, generate income to finance the education of our children, pay taxes, contribute to community development projects, foot critical health bills, fund marriages and burials, as well as other state government engagements, as majority of us are predominantly peasant farmers, with no other ostensible means of livelihood.
“We hereby bring to the knowledge of the world that while we were expecting to enjoy bountiful harvest from our 2024 farming season and also commence our farming activities for 2025 season, our hopes and high expectations were dashed with depression as we saw massive deployment of Men of the Nigeria Military, Police and other security personnel on the instructions of the Imo State Government since the beginning of 2025, destroying our farms and their yields of the 2024 farming seasons and also preventing us from farming on the lands, all in a bid to forcefully take over our farmlands illegally under the guise of compulsory land acquisition.
“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 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 African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Right enjoins States and Governments to individually or collectively ensure that the exercise of this right is not compromised.While we concede to the right of the Imo State Government to compulsorily acquire land within the state, we also insist that such compulsory land acquisition must be for demonstrable overriding public purposes with strict compliance with the due process of law in consonance with the provisions of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) and the Land Use Act 1978”.
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.
“We wish to state categorically, that the Imo State Government, at no time acquired the 30,000 hectares of land or any portion thereof in respect of which the Imo State Governor, hiding under the cover of the Government of Imo State has deployed the Men of the Nigeria Army, Police and other security personnel to parade and occupy, as no such documents to such purported acquisitions exists anywhere”.
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.
“As a matter of fact, two villages namely Umuokpo Ntu and Umuhoko Ntu, in old Ntu autonomous community in Mbaisii, got two separated judgments wherein the Imo State High Court declared the purported acquisition as unlawful and unconstitutional and made orders of perpetual injunction restraining the Imo state Government and her agents from trespassing into their lands.
“The said judgments of the Imo State High Court were in suit numbers HOW/624/2006 delivered on Monday 24th day of May 2010 by and HOW/627/2006 delivered on Tuesday 26th of July 2011 both judgments were delivered by Justice C. M. I. Egole.
“We also further state that since the failed compulsory acquisition in 2006, nothing else was heard about the intended acquisition, and that our people had since continued exercising full and unencumbered possession, carrying out our farming and cultivation as well as palm oil processing until late 2024, when Imo State Government brought in a certain Evangelist Ebuka Obi and his Zion Ministry to take over an entire 30,000 hectares of farmland belonging to our clients, citing a non-existing acquisition that purportedly took place in 2007.
“We wish to reiterate categorically that no form of acquisition of land took place, either of the 30,000 hectares or at all and challenge the Imo State Government or anyone to present documentary evidence to the contrary.It is our conviction to state as follows:We are the original customary title holders of all that large expanse of land in question by virtue of customary inheritance as provided in the Land Use Act”.
He also took a swipe at the Armed Forces for their alleged involvement in the unlawful land grabbing by the Imo state government.
“It is our right therefore to state unequivocally, that the deployment of the men of the Nigeria Military, Police and other security personnel to our community, and using them to intimidate our indigenes and residents, is not only illegal and unconstitutional but a gross abuse of executive powers by the Imo State Government.By the combined effects of Section 217 (2)(a), (b)(c) and (d) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (supra).
“The Nigeria Armed Forces is established and maintained for the following purposes to wit:Defending Nigeria from external aggression, maintaining its territorial integrity and securing its borders from violation on land, sea or air. Suppressing insurrection and acting in aid of civil authorities to restore order when called upon to do so by the president, but subject to such conditions as maybe prescribed by an Act of National Assembly, and performing other functions as maybe prescribed by an Act of the NASS.
“From the foregoing constitutional provision, it is only when Nigeria is at war with external forces, and for the purpose of securing its frontiers or where there exists insurrection that the necessity to deploy the military would arise. It is not in farm lands where there is no external aggression or war in our community, nor is there any form of insurrection therein, even if there was, it is only the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and not any governor, that is constitutionally empowered to deploy the Nigerian Military, and only subject to such conditions as maybe prescribed by an Act of the National Assembly”.
He said the affected communities want a peaceful resolution where the person requesting for the land should go and negotiate with the owners and not to hide under government patronage to take what belongs to them by force.
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