Community Petitions Anambra Government Over Land Dispute and Violence. 

Community Petitions Anambra Government Over Land Dispute and Violence.

The residents of Umuenu Quarters in Umuawulu Community, located in Awka South Local Government Area of Anambra State, have formally petitioned the state government over ongoing land disputes and violent attacks by alleged land grabbers. The community’s members are pleading for urgent intervention to prevent further dispossession of their ancestral land, homes, and farms.

In their petition addressed to the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Tobechukwu Nweke, the residents detailed persistent harassment and illegal land acquisitions from suspected invaders believed to originate from Enugwu Quarters, a neighboring part of the same community. The community also expressed concern over the injuries and fatalities resulting from these violent clashes, urging the government to release the case files related to their court proceedings to ensure justice.

The petition, signed by Hyacinth Moghalu, a member of the Nigerian Bar Association representing the community, emphasizes that the case, with the number A/81C/2024, is still pending at the High Court in Awka. The community insists that the ongoing court process should be allowed to proceed without interference, as they seek a legal resolution to the land dispute that has persisted for decades.

Umuenu community claims ownership of a large land area known as “Agu Udo,” which has been at the center of the dispute. They trace their claim back to a 1928 native court judgment that awarded them ownership after a trespass by members of Abo Ani community from neighboring Awgbu town. Despite the court ruling in their favor, the community alleges that members of Enugwu village, also part of Umuawulu, invaded their land in 2020, seizing farming tools, uprooting yam seedlings, and inflicting injuries on farmers.

The traditional ruler of Umuawulu established a five-member committee that confirmed the land belonged to Umuenu, but violence escalated when the invaders attacked farmers in June 2024. During these attacks, several community members were injured, including Humphrey Obi, who succumbed to his injuries after the assault. His death has heightened tensions, fueling calls for justice.

The community further claims that efforts to seek justice through law enforcement have been obstructed by the accused, who allegedly boasted they could leverage political connections to influence proceedings. The case was later reviewed and temporarily halted when the former Attorney-General called for a case file recall, citing mediation efforts by a panel that also confirmed the land belonged to Umuenu.

Umuenu residents and Obi’s widow, Esther Obi, are now demanding that the government release the case files so that justice can be served. They argue that only through proper legal process can lasting peace be restored to their community, which has endured decades of land disputes and violence.