Elders of the Oba community in the Idemili South Local Government Area of Anambra State have protested against land-grabbing in the area.
They said their land, which was acquired by the state government for the purpose of building an international market, was now being partitioned and sold indiscriminately.
The protesters, who claimed to be 70 years and above, accused government agents of selling off their land.
They vowed to resist the invasion of their land with the last drop of their blood.
The elders accused the government of reneging on the promises made to them 18 years ago after the land was acquired.
They carried placards with different inscriptions, such as, ‘Umuezegbe has not reached agreement with any group of individual on further takeover of our land’, ‘We are not preventing or rejecting building of market and development that is coming to Oba, but due process must be followed’, ‘Our land was acquired in 2002 under Governor Chinwoke Mbadinuju administration for building of market and not for sale to individuals to build private houses’, ‘Private property developers within Anambra International Market Oba, be warned or you face the law’, and ‘Our land is not for sale to individuals or groups through the back door’.
The spokesman for the protesters, Chief Augustine Ikedi, said the decision not to engage the youth for the protest was to avoid bloodshed.
He stated, “We did not involve our youths to avoid a bloody clash with government officials or agents of the contractor.
They said their land, which was acquired by the state government for the purpose of building an international market, was now being partitioned and sold indiscriminately.
The protesters, who claimed to be 70 years and above, accused government agents of selling off their land.
They vowed to resist the invasion of their land with the last drop of their blood.
The elders accused the government of reneging on the promises made to them 18 years ago after the land was acquired.
They carried placards with different inscriptions, such as, ‘Umuezegbe has not reached agreement with any group of individual on further takeover of our land’, ‘We are not preventing or rejecting building of market and development that is coming to Oba, but due process must be followed’, ‘Our land was acquired in 2002 under Governor Chinwoke Mbadinuju administration for building of market and not for sale to individuals to build private houses’, ‘Private property developers within Anambra International Market Oba, be warned or you face the law’, and ‘Our land is not for sale to individuals or groups through the back door’.
The spokesman for the protesters, Chief Augustine Ikedi, said the decision not to engage the youth for the protest was to avoid bloodshed.
He stated, “We did not involve our youths to avoid a bloody clash with government officials or agents of the contractor.