Community Protests at Abia Government House Over Alleged Land Grabbing

Youths and women of Umunenweze Okpuala community in Okaigu, Umuahia North Local Government Area of Abia State on Wednesday staged a protest at the Government House in Umuahia over alleged land grabbing and illegal sale of their ancestral farmlands.

The protesters appealed to Governor Alex Otti to urgently intervene, accusing certain individuals, including their traditional ruler, Eze Paul Onuigbo Uzuegbu, of presenting forged documents to government authorities to facilitate the sale of community lands.

They alleged that several parcels of land belonging to present and future generations had been forcibly sold or allocated to private estate developers without the consent of the rightful landowners.

Speaking on behalf of the protesters, the Secretary of the community, Okechukwu Uzuegbu, claimed that bulldozers had been used by developers to destroy farms and economic trees belonging to indigenes.

He alleged that false letters were submitted to government agencies to justify the takeover of the land, insisting that the community never consented to such transactions.

“Those grabbing and selling our lands are writing false letters and forged documents to the government,” he said, warning that further trespass could escalate tensions in the area.

In response, the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Magdalene Ugoanusi, appealed for calm and urged the community to avoid any form of violence.

She stated that the government had already received correspondence on the matter and assured that the issue would be reviewed for appropriate action.

Ugoanusi also advised the protesters to formally document their complaints and submit them to the appropriate government offices for investigation.

She added that the member representing Ikwuano/Umuahia Federal Constituency, Obi Aguocha, would be engaged to support peaceful resolution of the dispute.

The protest highlights ongoing tensions over land ownership and allocation in parts of Abia State, where communities have increasingly raised concerns over disputed land transactions involving traditional authorities and private developers.