ENUGU – The Nkomoro Nike community in Enugu East Local Government Area of Enugu state has been thrown into a state of pandemonium following the alleged forceful takeover of their ancestral land by Professor Barth Nnaji, former minister of power.
The community, which has been in existence for generations, claims that their forefathers have owned the land in question, but Professor Nnaji has been demolishing their homes and rendering them homeless.
According to Rev. Pastor Steven Prosper Itumo, Personal Assistant to the President General of the Nkomoro community, the troubles began when Professor Nnaji, allegedly backed by security personnel, stormed the community with bulldozers and started pulling down houses.
“We woke up one morning to find hundreds of police men and bulldozers in our community, pulling down our houses.
“This land belongs to us, and we will not let anyone take it away from us,” Rev. Itumo lamented.
The community members, who were visibly shaken by the experience, carried placards with inscriptions such as “Barth Nnaji has rendered our people homeless”, “His Excellency, Governor Peter Mbah, please save us”, and “Barth Nnaji, leave our land alone”.
They appealed to Governor Peter Mbah to intervene in the matter and save them from being rendered homeless.
However, Rev. Jessie -Daniels Onuigbo, a legal practitioner for the Nkomoro Community revealed that the dispute dates back to 1974, when the Onuogba Nike community, neighbors to the Nkomoro, filed a suit in court claiming ownership of the land.
The court gave judgment in favour of the Onuogba Nike community, but the Nkomoro community appealed.
The Court of Appeal upheld the judgment, but the Nkomoro community was not satisfied and appealed to the Supreme Court.
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According to Barr Onuigbo, the appeal is still pending at the Supreme Court, but Professor Nnaji, who allegedly bought the disputed land from Chief Titus Alinta, has been trying to take possession of the land by force.
“We were not represented in court when Professor Nnaji got a judgment to demolish the homes. We have filed an appeal against the judgment and are waiting for the court to decide on the matter,” Barr Onuigbo explained.
The community members alleged that Professor Nnaji has been using his influence and wealth to intimidate and harass them, and that some of their members have been arrested and detained by security personnel.
They urged the court to decide on the matter and allow the law to take its course.
As the dispute continues, the Nkomoro Nike community remains in a state of uncertainty, with many of its members living in fear of being rendered homeless.
The community has appealed to Governor Peter Mbah and other relevant authorities to intervene in the matter and ensure that justice is served.
When contacted, Barth Nnaji who spoke through his Surveyor, Mr Okwuchukwu Nnaji, disclosed that Alinta purchased the land from Onuogba community in 1977 and got Certificate of Occupancy in 1987 before transferring the ownership to Nnaji in 2000.
He said Alinta went to court with Nkorom community, adding that when he died, his children continued with the matter until 2013 when judgement was given at the Enugu State High and execution order took effect immediately.
“It was in the process of executing that order that Catholic Bishop of Enugu Diocese, Bishop Onaga intervened but the settlement did not work out. Hence, the recent demolition was in continuation of that execution order.
“They have no evidence of stay out of execution order and the land in dispute is approximately 103 hectares while I have letter of authority from Nnaji to parcellate the land,” he said.
