A community in Akwa Ibom State, Use Atai, has accused the University of Uyo (UNIUYO) of seizing its ancestral land. The community, which is one of the nine host communities of the university, is ravaged by gully erosion and bereft of access roads and social amenities.
Narrating the ordeal of the community, the village head, Eteidung Christopher Ekeso, alleged that UNIUYO had been seizing lands and ejecting indigenes from their homes over the years.
He further claimed that the university destroyed the village hall and an ancient tomb of one their revered kings, the late Eteidung Ekerete Asuquo Akpan.
He said: “The portion of land UNIUYO permanent site presently occupies is 95 per cent the rightful property of Use Atai Offot. Our bone of contention is that UNIUYO is bent on acquiring and annexing the portions of land reserved for our settlement and forcefully ejecting us, thereby rendering us homeless.
“In 2016, UNIUYO officials, along with an army of workers, earth-moving equipment and armed policemen and soldiers invaded Use Atai village without any warning notice, destroyed and demolished our village hall, smashed into pieces the monumental structure erected in honour of our late village head, Eteidung Ekerete Asuquo Akpan.”
He noted that information on the original landmass of Use Atai is in government records and wondered why UNIUYO allegedly acted flagrantly without recourse to negotiation and due process.
He appealed to the clan head of Offot Ukwa and paramount ruler of Uyo Council, Edidem Sylvanus Effiong Okon, and relevant authorities to “save our generation from total extinction as there will be nowhere to run to after we are being driven away.”
He added: “UNIUYO authorities should be called to order to refrain from annexing the remaining portions of our village land, so that we can live together as university neighbours, since Use Atai Offot is a peace-loving community and we do not love to take laws into our hands.”
The management of the university could not be reached for reaction as of press time as calls and text messages sent to the information officer of the institution, Mrs. Blossom Okorie, were not responded to.