The Onuogba community in Enugu East Local Government Area of Enugu State has refuted allegations that former Minister of Power, Prof. Bart Nnaji, is involved in land grabbing in their territory.
The accusations surfaced last weekend when protesters from the Ezza-Nkomoro group claimed that the chairman of Geometric Power, Prof. Nnaji, was attempting to forcibly seize land in Onuogba-Nike, near the Enugu-Abakaliki highway.
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However, the Onuogba community has rejected these claims, calling them baseless and misleading.
During a press briefing, Chief Emmanuel Ubosi, the former President-General of Onuogba-Nike, clarified that the Ezza-Nkomoro people, who are accusing Prof. Nnaji, are actually settlers in the area.
According to him, the Ezza-Nkomoro group originally migrated from Ezza-Agu in Ebonyi State and were granted permission by the Onuogba community in 1956 to settle on a designated portion of land.
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Ubosi explained that the Ezza-Nkomoro people were given over 62 hectares of land for their settlement, but over time they began to encroach on other lands not allocated to them.
He emphasized that the land in question, which Prof. Nnaji is being accused of grabbing, is not part of the land given to the Ezza-Nkomoro people but lies in the Idume area, which has no connection to the disputed claims.
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According to Ubosi, Prof. Nnaji legally acquired the land in 1978 from the original owners, the Alinta family, and has since used it for agricultural purposes, cultivating citrus and pineapples.
He further stated that the ownership of the land had been contested by the Ezza-Nkomoro group as far back as 1974, but the Onuogba community had obtained a favorable court ruling in 2004.
The case was appealed by the Ezza-Nkomoro people but was once again decided in favor of the Onuogba community in 2016.
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Chief Ubosi presented maps and court documents to support his claims, urging the government to intervene and prevent further encroachment by the Ezza-Nkomoro group on land that rightfully belongs to the Onuogba community and has been sold to Prof. Bart Nnaji.
Prof. Nnaji’s legal counsel, Barr. Benjamin Nwobodo, also weighed in, explaining that the Ezza-Nkomoro group had failed to provide any documentation to challenge the ownership of the land by the Alinta family, from whom Nnaji purchased the property.
Nwobodo clarified that Prof. Bart Nnaji acquired the land lawfully and has made efforts to engage in negotiations with affected individuals, disproving any claims of land grabbing.
According to Nwobodo, the legal battle over the land ended in 2013 when the court affirmed Alinta’s ownership, leading to the land being transferred to Prof. Nnaji.
He emphasized that the structures demolished on the land were not owned by the Ezza-Nkomoro people and urged the community to accept the court’s rulings.
Nwobodo concluded by affirming that Prof. Nnaji’s acquisition of the land is legitimate and that the accusations of land grabbing are unfounded.
Despite the Ezza-Nkomoro group’s protests, all legal decisions have favored Prof. Nnaji and the Onuogba community.
