Wilson Okereke, Afikpo

The people of Agba and Imama, two villages out of the component units of Ozizza Autonomous Community in Afikpo North Local Government Area of Ebonyi State are currently at war over ownership of a mining site established in the area.

Last week, a large number of Agba youths staged a protest over what they described as seizure of their right of inheritance by people of their neighbouring village of Imama. Leader of the protest held under the auspices Agba Liberation Movement (ALM), Mr Kelechi Igweoko, accused the Chinese company operating in the area of conniving with their Imama neighbours to deny them their entitlements.

He said: “Around November, 2019, we noticed that construction work was going on. Then we were not perturbed due to the fact that both the structures and installation of industrial machines fall within the territory of Imama village but to our surprise, early this year. The expatriates encroached into our area and immediately began to blast rocks without our approval.”

Igweoko who is also Secretary of Agba Development Union (ADU) claimed that his village is in possession of some official documents obtained around 1950s indicating that the land in dispute belongs to them. He appealed for government’s intervention so that all the company’s operations would be halted to avert bloodshed.

Secretary of ALM, Mr Francis Okpor Eluu, disclosed that upon their discovery of the encroachment, they reported the matter to the traditional ruler of the community, whom after hearing from both parties gave order for suspension of every activity at the site, but following alleged defiance of Imama people, the injunction was not obeyed:

“We are ever ready to prove our right of ownership over the property at all times with the documents issued to our forefathers at the Supreme Court of Nigeria some decades ago.” He appealed for government meditation into the matter so that their land would not be seized by other people.

Chairman, Agba Development Union, Mr Ekuma Gabriel Akpu, insisted that they would not condone confiscation of their land at all. He claimed that Agba people came from the lineage of Egu people, the original settlers in the entire Afikpo land while Imama people allegedly migrated from some places as Ikwo and Ntezi, both in Ebonyi central, as well as Ohaozara, also in the southern part of the state:

“To buttress my point, the distance between my people and the site is not more than two kilometres unlike Imama village where one will cover a distance of about 20 kilometres. With this illustration and the map drawn by a professional surveyor, Mr P. S. Anosike in the year 1961, people will know that Imama residents are deliberately trespassing on our land.”

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Laying claim to the contentious piece of land too; chairman of Imama village, Mr Emmanuel Agha, said his people share boundary with the Akpoha, Ugwuegu and Amaorie village, former place of Agba people before they relocated to their present settlement after they had encountered problem.

He alleged that in the olden days, Agba residents had attempted to harvest their palm fruits but encountered stiff resistance from his people, an action, which clearly showed that the place belonged to his people:

“There was a similar strife between the same villages around 1957, which eventually resulted to court case. In the long run, some documents were handed over to us indicating that we are the rightful owners of the land.

“During that period, we had wanted to eject them out but we were told at the court of law that since they (Agba) had occupied the place beyond 20 years that such decision could not be permitted by law.

“Let me make it clear that any issue concerning land struggle is not a matter that one easily dabbles into because such action has grave consequences, thus with these facts, I am saying that right from the time immemorial, Agba people are our tenants.”

Agha said after they had introduced the Chinese company, Agba people fumed; went and reported the matter to their traditional ruler who later summoned both parties. Following the development, all the concerned persons moved to the area in question for clarity over the boundary.

He disclosed that their collective approach was later rejected by Agba people as they went ahead and petitioned his people at the offices of Commissioner for Solid Minerals and Internal Security, Border, Peace and Conflict Resolution:

“I am surprised over the protest because we have not either exhausted all avenues for peace initiative or exchanged harsh words. Based on this, I am advising everyone to pipe low while waiting government intervention.”