By Izunna Okafor, Awka
The people of Iruobieli Village in Enugwu-Agidi, Njikoka Local Government Area of Anambra State have raised an alarm over what they described as an authorized invasion of their land by land grabbers and self-acclaimed real estate developer, who also went on social media advertising the sale of the land without their consent.
The villagers made the call on Saturday, February 1, when they stormed the land to dismantle the authorized culvert already being constructed at the entrance of the lands to make its invasion and access much easier for the suspected land grabbers and their agents.
This reporter, Izunna Okafor, who visited the site saw the plank frames and the iron structure already constructed for casting of the culvert.
Also seen at the site were heaps of sand and stone bought for the said construction, all done without any official notice or authorization of the original owners of the lands —the people of Iruobieli Village.
It was gathered that the large expanse of lands known as Ogum Farmland, Orie-Atubuluanya Farmland, and Ajata Farmland, which share boundaries with Etiti Village, Ifite Village, Isuaniocha and Amawbia, have been the inheritance of the Iruobieli villagers from time immemorial and where they have been farming, without any intention to sell it out, let alone to outsiders. This, the people said, was why they were very astonished when they saw the viral video advertising the sale of the lands.
Speaking on behalf the villagers, Chief Peter Onuekwusi, the Secretary of Land Committee in Iruobieli Village, recounted that they were taken aback and shocked to the marrow when, on January 5, they saw a viral Facebook video by one Pineleaf Estate, showcasing and advertising their ancestral lands for sale, without their consents as the owner of those lands.
According to him, neither the people of the village nor its leadership had ever discussed or authorized any sale of the lands, hence making the adverts very surprising to them and unlawful in every sense of it.
He narrated that some days after seeing the advert, they started noticing some suspicious movements around the lands, especially at the entrance, where, he said they eventually encountered one Mr. Obiora Iwuchukwu, making moves to construct a culvert at the entrance of the lands.
Continuing, Chief Onuekwusi, said that upon interrogation, Mr. Iwuchukwu, who is not even from Iruobieli village was making certain claims. He said that they thereafter summoned him to a meeting with the leadership and stakeholders of Iruobieli Village for further clarifications, as they could not understand what he was saying.
According to him, at the meeting, Mr. Iwuchukwu claimed that an estate developer had expressed interest in buying and developing the lands, which he said was the reason he embarked on constructing the culverts, for easy access into the lands.
Chief Onuekwusi said the leadership and stakeholders of the village strictly warned Iwuchukwu to dismantle and evacuate all his construction materials and desist from doing anything in the land, as no part of the lands is for sale.
According to him, after the meeting, they observed that the suspect secretly continued with the construction of the culverts through his foremen, despite their encounters with him and the warnings they issued to him to steer clear from Iruobieli lands. This, he said, was the reason the villagers stormed the lands on Saturday to dismantle every unauthorized structure therein, including that of the culvert.
Continuing, he said that prior to this action, the Iruobieli Kanadimma Brotherly Union (IKBU) had, on January 30, officially written a letter to the Pineleaf Estate, demanding the immediate cessation of all activities on their lands.
As was observed by this reporter, the letter, which was signed by the village executives, outlined their specific demands from the real estate developer, including the withdrawal of his personnel, machinery, and equipment from the site and the every part of the land, as well as a directive to immediately refrain from any further unauthorized activity on and about the lands.
IKBU LETTER TO OZOIGBONDU PINELEAF ESTATE
Mr. Onuekwusi, however, said that the real estate developer refused to accept or acknowledge the receipt of the letter when submitted to his his office few days ago by the villagers.
“But whether he accepted the letter or not, we have made it clear that anyone attempting to sell or buy any part of our lands is doing so at their own risk. The land belongs to the entire Iruobieli village, and we are not selling it. Any further attempts or encroachment on our lands by these land grabbers and unauthorized developers will compel us to take legal action to protect our rights and heritage,” Chief Onuekwusi empathically stated.
The Iruobieli village, through the Land Committee Chairman, also called on the Anambra State Government to urgently intervene in the matter, warning that the situation could escalate if not addressed promptly.
Contributing his voice, the Vice Chairman of Iruobieli Village, Hon. Nkem Obuzo, who corroborated the narrative of Chief Onuekwusi, lamented and raised concerns over the recurring activities of land grabbers in the village and Mbanano community of Enugwu-Agidi. He noted that the current issue at hand has always been the usual tactics and gimmicks of land grabbers in the community and through which they usually sell people’s lands without authorization.
According to him, the invasion of farmlands by these unauthorized individuals not only leads to economic losses but also heightens insecurity in rural areas.
“In some parts of Iruobieli, Mbanano and Enugwu-Agidi by extension, villagers are now afraid to farm or move freely within their lands due to increased cases of kidnapping, rape, and harassment by suspected criminals hiding under the guise of estate development,” he said.
Hon. Obuzo expressed appreciation to the Governor Chukwuma Soludo-led administration in the state, for its efforts in addressing land banditry and other security issues in the state. He, however, he stressed the urgent need for the government to intensify its crackdown on unscrupulous land grabbers and fake estate developers who have become a menace across various communities in Anambra.
Hon. Obuzo emphasized that the Iruobieli village operates under strict regulations regarding land ownership and sales, as Iruobieli, no land transaction can take place without the consent of the community’s executives, stakeholders, Board of Trustees, and other relevant committees. He also noted that the village had introduced a formal identification and verification process for anyone seeking to engage in land transactions. This initiative, he explained, aligns with Governor Soludo’s call for transparent land ownership documentation to curb fraudulent activities and land disputes.
While calling on security agencies to monitor and investigate the illegal activities of these land grabbers, particularly those who defy community directives and government regulations; the Iruobieli Vice Chairman also reiterated the villagers’ warning to Mr. Iwuchukwu and the Pineleaf Estate to steer clear off their ancestral land. He also reaffirmed the resolve of the villagers to resist and take serious action against any further encroachment or unauthorized construction on their ancestral lands —whether as individual or under any guise of real estate developer, as, according to him, “Enough is enough.”
More photos from the scene:
