One Dead, Three Injured Over Land Dispute

A protracted land feud between Ikenga Ogidi and Umusiome Nkpor communities in Idemili Local Government Area of Anambra State reportedly turned bloody recently leaving one dead and three others injured.

Ikenga Ogidi is the hometown of the late literary icon and author of “Things Fall Apart”, Prof Chinua Achebe.

A 70-year-old man, Anthony Okongwu, from Ikenga Ogidi was said to have been killed in the crisis when he was allegedly attacked by the people of Umusiome Nkpor while he was on inspection of his community’s land in the company of other people from his community.

Three others from Ikenga Ogidi also sustained injuries in the fracas.

The National President of Ikenga Ogidi Family Union, Amechi Ekume who confirmed the incident to Southern City News fingered a clique of land speculators and trespassers from Umusiome Nkpor as perpetrators of the act.

Ekume said the protracted land dispute had since been resolved based on a Supreme Court judgement delivered in favour of Ikenga-Ogidi community in suit No. SC/71/1996.

He said,

“The state government which demarcated the boundary of the land through the Boundary Committee headed by the then Deputy Governor of the state, Chief Aboli Okerie-Agu issued a  government gazette in that respect.”

Ekume condemned Nkpor community’s recourse to a lower court’s pronouncement to foment trouble while the Supreme Court judgment was subsisting.

He called on the Anambra State government and the police to intervene so that the Supreme Court verdict would prevail.

He said,

“To avoid youths of my community from taking the  laws into their hand by embarking on a reprisal attack, we call for immediate stoppage of construction work on the disputed land.”

When contacted, the Chairman of Umusiome Nkpor, Pius Obiogbolu said the issue under contention was not the Supreme Court judgement.

He said,

“We are not challenging the Supreme Court judgment but the Anambra state government gazette which was wrongly gazetted.

“We want it  repealed. We want the state government to implement the recommendations made by those we invited to look into the land dispute.

Speaking, the Chairman of Umusiome Landlords association, Daniel Alaneme, said the Landlords had no issue with the people of Ikenga Ogidi.

“Our concern is for the two communities to settle their differences; if at the end, the Ikenga Ogidi community emerged victorious, we will go for settlement.

“What is important is let piece reign. We gain nothing by seeing the two communities go into unnecessary war.”

The Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Haruna Mohammed who confirmed the story said the matter was under investigation.