Fred Itua, Abuja
Leaders of Ugwuaji Awkunanaw Community in Enugu South Local Government of Enugu State have threatened legal action if plans to take over their ancestral lands were not rescinded.
In a letter addressed to the Commissioner, Enugu State Ministry of Housing, the community leaders, who operate under the platform of Concerned and Patriotic Citizens of Ugwuaji Awkunanaw, called for a halt to alleged illegal acquisition of lands in the village.
Palace Secretary, Bob Ugwu, who signed the petition on behalf of others, warned that illegal land takeover in the community by certain individuals shows that they may have succeeded in misleading some officials of the government.
“We, therefore, urge you to treat this letter with all the seriousness that it deserves as we maintain that we will, as a people, employ all legal means possible to vehemently resist this illegal takeover of our ancestral heritage,” the petition read.
The leaders, in the petition, said the planned action to take over some portions of their land for any commercial development, was a direct affront on recent efforts by Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State to resolve protracted issues in Ugwuaji communal lands.
It further read: “Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi has made giant strides in the resolution of the many protracted issues in the Ugwuaji communal lands.
“It is on record that, but for the governor’s recent and timely intervention, our community may have been thrown into crisis.
“Our confidence is bolstered by the governor’s continuous honest disposition to justice and uprightness.
“We are, therefore, at a loss for words to describe this backhanded set of actions, which is directly antithetical and mutually incompatible with our governor’s mantra.
“Let it be on record, that this move seems determined to throw our community into another set of crisis.
“It is also necessary to underscore that any document, which may have been presented for purposes of this proposed takeover by the ministry, is hereby declared a falsity and cannot be tendered for the purposes so submitted to the ministry.
“We are bewildered and embarrassed as to how the ministry would have failed in carrying out due diligence before embarking on this potential wild goose chase.”