The Ogui Nike and Umunevo Ogui Nike Communities of Enugu North local government have pleaded with Governor Peter Mbah to cancel the purported acquisition of their land at Agwowor for sale to the public by the Enugu State Housing Development Corporation (ESHDC).

Enugu township Communities said that they do not have any other land, even to bury their dead, because they have given all their land for the development of the Eastern Nigeria capital city.

The Ogui Nike Communities said that they were more worried because the state government agency despite its knowledge that the disputed land is a subject of litigation in the Enugu State High Court, went ahead to encroach on the land.

In an open letter to Governor Mbah, titled “Take over of our communal Land by Enugu State Housing Development Corporation,” the federated Communities through the President General of Ogui Nike, Ifesinachi Alum and the Vice President General of Umunevo Ogui Nike Community, Onyinye Nwankwoani, said: “We are the representatives of the people of Ogui Nike and Umunevo Ogui Nike Communities both of Enugu North Local Government Area of Enugu State.

“We had on two previous occasions written Your Excellency on the above subject matter, the first letter was received by your office on the 5th of August, 2024 while the 2nd letter was received on the 13th of September, 2024.

“Since both letters have not gotten the required attention, coupled with the fact that the Enugu State Housing Development Corporation is currently defacing the subject matter and selling the same to the unsuspecting members of the public, we decided to use this medium, taking into cognizance, that, Your Excellency, may not have seen the earlier letters.

“While we acknowledge the good work which Your Excellency is doing all over the state, you have also shown us good faith when you flagged off the construction of Enugu Township roads on our Aguowor land, and true to your word, the road was completed and commissioned in record time with street lights. However, we must inform Your Excellency of the actions of certain government agencies capable of tarnishing the image of this administration.

“The immediate past administration led by Rt. Hon. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi forcefully took over our land known as Aguowor Land which has from time immemorial, been the communal land of the people of Ogui Nike and Umunevo Ogui Nike. We have over the years exercised various acts of ownership and possession over the said land. We have made three registered layouts over the area, namely; Owor River Layout, Premier Layout and Premier Layout Extension, with a very large area of land still not parcellated.

“It is on record that Ogui Nike and Umunevo Ogui Nike, more than any other community, have contributed its vast land to and for the development of Enugu capital, to wit, Ogui Township, Asata, Part of Uwani, Part of G.R.A, Coal Camp, Independence Layout, and Part of Independence Layout Phase 2.

“Upon the said forceful take over of our land by the immediate past administration and the demolition of our houses, we filed suit number E/555/21 between PAUL ANIKE & ORS V GOVERNOR OF ENUGU STATE & ORS, upon service of the suit on the immediate past administration, they stayed all actions concerning the land.

“But to our uttermost chagrin, the Enugu State Housing Development Corporation, irrespective of the fact, that this administration is led by Lawyers, brazenly entered and started selling to the public, for as much as, N55,000,000.00 (Fifty-Five Million) Naira and named it COAL CITY EASTERN EXTENSION ESTATE ALLIANCE, ENUGU, irrespective of the pending suit over the subject matter.

“The action of the Enugu State Housing Development Corporation negates the concept of Rule of Law and is capable of ridiculing everything your administration stands for and also constitutes a mockery of the Judiciary.

“We do not question the powers of a State Governor to acquire land but the acquisition should be in line with the law and done for overriding public interest. Finally, our people having lost more than 80% of our communal land to successive governments’ acquisitions, no longer have land anywhere to erect our houses or to even bury our dead.

“We therefore, as your people who are proud of what you have achieved within just 15 months in office, request that you cancel the purported acquisition in the interest of justice, or in the alternative, direct the government agencies involved to stay all actions pending the conclusion of the suit.”