Imo communities protest plan to take over ancestral lands

The people of Ohaoma community in Oguta Local Government Area of Imo State have petitioned the state government over all;eged attempts to appropriate their communal lands for agricultural projects by the government. Ohaoma is made up of Agwa, Ejemekwuru, Akabor, Izombe,Awa, Abiaziem, Mgbele, Nkwesi, Nnebukwu, Orsu-Obodo, Eziorsu and Kalabari Beach communities. This came in the […]

The people of Ohaoma community in Oguta Local Government Area of Imo State have petitioned the state government over all;eged attempts to appropriate their communal lands for agricultural projects by the government.

Ohaoma is made up of Agwa, Ejemekwuru, Akabor, Izombe,Awa, Abiaziem, Mgbele, Nkwesi, Nnebukwu, Orsu-Obodo, Eziorsu and Kalabari Beach communities.

This came in the wake of a similar protest by the people of Abba community in Nwangele LGA over alleged attempt to take over their land popularly called Ikpa Abba.

The Ohaoma people in an open letter to Governor Hope Uzodimma vowed to resist any attempt to take over their lands for whatever purpose.

They alleged that the state government had embarked on acquisition overtures in addition to drone surveys over the area ostensibly for a proposed “unverified agro-allied meat processing project by a team which claimed to be from Imo State Deputy Governor’s office.”

The letter was signed by representatives of the communities led by Dr Humphrey Ugo from Agwa, Austin Achunine from Ejemekwuru, among others.

They accused the state government of trying to acquire their lands for the proposed RUGA project.

Ejemekwuru community in their own letter signed by Nze Justin Alionye, president, and Mrs Festa Taylor, secretary, on behalf of Ejemekwuru Sons and Daughters Abroad, said they would resist any attempt to appropriate their land for any clandestine purpose, adding that they were aware that open grazing had been comprehensively banned by Southern state governors.

The Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Declan Emelumba, said the state government had not received any petition to that effect.

Meanwhile he described the allegation as “fallacious”.

According to him, the state government has no plans to acquire any land, saying that it is propaganda from the opposition.