By Raphael Onyekachukwu
There palpable anxiety in Enugu state as Nigerian Army invade Utamazi Community, Nkwubor in Enugu East Council Area demolished ancestral homes and farmlands to pave way construction an estate for its retired officers, Tuesday.
Speaking to our correspondents during visit to the community, the youth leader of the community Mr. Samuel Chukwuma, stated Tuesday early morning, he noticed the presence of the men of the Nigerian Army in the village and without talking to anybody they started the demolition of their farmlands immediately and marked many houses for demolition in the community.
On approaching the soldiers, Chukwuma said they told him that Enugu State government gave a large portion of land in the village to the Nigerian Army to construct estate for retired officers.
The community which is estimated to have about 50,000 inhabitants is now thrown to mourning over this development. The members of the community said the army told them that the state government gave the Army the land but the government has not communicated the development
to the community.
to the community.
A villager who is also a widow and house marked for demolition was in tears during the visit.
She said the army has told her to leave her home latest by Thursday 18th February, 2016 as the house is among the ones to be demolished.
According to her, “this is our ancestral home of my late husband; my husbands’ parents were buried in this compound. The most painful aspect is that all our loved ones who were buried in this family compound respective will be bulldozed along by the Army bulldozers”.
However, the President of Civil Rights Realisation and Advancement Network (CRRAN), Olu Omotayo Esq. have appeal through letter to the Enugu state government to immediately halt the
on-going demolition of the ancestral homes of the Utamazi people with a view to see how ancestral homes of a people were allocated to army for construction of estate without them.
He said appeal is necessary so that the matter could be resolved so as not to subject the people to untold hardship.
