Enugu Community Protests Alleged Land Grabbing By Firm

Gideon Arinze in Enugu

Residents of Ugwuto Nsude, a community in Udi Local Government Area of Enugu State have staged a protest over allegations of land grabbing by a company, Enpower Energy Ltd.

The angry villagers, consisting of elderly men, women, youths and children marched through the community’s civic centre yesterday, carrying placards with such inscriptions as “We Say No To Land Grabbers”, Enpower Leave Our Land Alone”, “Enugu Governor, Peter Mbah Save Us From Land Grabbers”.

Addressing journalists during the protest, an elder in the Community, Vincent Ukwuani, alleged that the plot by Enpower Energy Ltd to unlawfully take over their land began as far back as 2019.

He explained that although the case was already in court, the management of the company has continued to encroach on their land with impunity.

“The people called Enpower came to our land without authorization and began to destroy our crops. They came with a bulldozer. The land is called “Ugwuto Land” and the invasion on the land started six years ago. We reported the matter to the state government and there was no response,” he alleged.

The community also accused the company of intimidation and harassment, with some members reportedly threatened and arrested by the police.

“The land was approved by the government, there is the master plan and survey plan,” said Emeka Ozochi, a resident. “All the fees needed to be paid were paid by our community to the government of Enugu State,”.

The community urged Governor Peter Mbah to intervene in the alleged land grabbing attempts, adding that the community was prepared to fight and protect their land.

In his reaction, Ricky Agu, a representative of the firm, said that the allegation of land grabbing was untrue, adding that the government had acquired the land and used it as their own equity to attract investments.

“There’s a tripartite agreement between the state government and Enpower Energy Ltd and Oildata Integrated Construction Company, which was signed in 2009,” he said. “The agreement says that the Enugu State government intends to develop a private public sector partnership for the attraction of investment into Enugu,”.

He explained that the joint venture will pay to the community whatever equity is due them, as they arr a co-owner of Enpower.