By Izunna Okafor, Awka
The serene village of Achalla in Enugwu-Agidi, Njikoka Local Government Area of Anambra State, has been thrown into restlessness, while tension also brews, following what the residents described as a forceful and unlawful invasion of their ancestral lands by an estate company allegedly backed by heavily armed men.
The incident, which involved the indiscriminate clearing of farmlands and destruction of crops, has left the villagers in distress and triggered the re-echoing of their appeal for Governor Chukwuma Soludo’s intervention.
The distraught villagers, who are predominantly farmers, said there was an urgent need for the government and relevant authorities to intervene and put an end to what they described as a coordinated land-grabbing scheme that has left them devastated for years and made them unable to access their farmlands, while also threatening their peace and livelihoods as a people.
The aggrieved villagers, while touring journalist round parts of the affected lands in Ezionogwo on Tuesday, February 4, recounted how bulldozers, escorted by armed personnel, recently invaded their farmlands, destroying crops and economic trees, and clearing landmarks without their consent. The situation, they said, left them devastated and in disarray, with farmers and land owners there counting their losses and fearing further encroachment.
During the inspection, this reporter, Izunna Okafor, also witnessed a particularly heart-wrenching scene when a 72-year-old farmer was seen weeping inconsolably in his farm after discovering that the caterpillars had leveled his cassava plantation and other crops. The elderly man, identified as Linus Muokwugwo Onuigbo, lamented bitterly that the farmland had been his only means of survival and that the destruction had left him helpless and traumatized.
Speaking in an interview with this reporter after touring the land, the Secretary of Land Committee in the village, Mr. Johnbosco Nkem Ementa, described the incident as a violation of their ancestral heritage and an affront to justice, lamenting that activities of land grabbers have become a major and recurring issue in the Achalla Village, Mbanano, and Enugwu-Agidi as a whole.
According to him, “Just the day before yesterday, we got shocking news that tractors and some people were there, bulldozing the land from all angles — left, right and centre. We had no other choice but to mobilize because this has become a recurring situation throughout every land Achalla has, and in many parts Mbanano and Enugwu-Agidi as a whole. All our lands are being encumbered by the Land Grabbers Association of Enugwu-Agidi.”
He further narrated how farm produce, including cassava and economic trees, were destroyed without authorization, emphasizing that the invaders even usually mount armed men in their bushes, making it impossible for villagers to access their farmlands and heritage.
“We inherited this land from our forefathers. It has always been one of our people’s sources of livelihood, because our people are predominantly farmers. But now, these invaders have brought bulldozers to clear our land without our notice or consent. They even stationed armed men in the bushes these days to intimidate us in our lands. We can no longer access our farms or harvest our crops,” he lamented.
Mr. Ementa accused one Obinna Oguejiofor, an alleged excommunicated member of the community, of being complicit in the illegal activities. He alleged that Oguejiofor, who was seen inside the bush with his dog during the tour, confessed to knowing the perpetrators and claimed that an Air Force officer was behind the mobilization of the caterpillar, further noting that the said proposed estate is the Nigeria Air Force Green Garden Estate.
“How come the person we excommunicated for troublesome activities is now the one dictating where people should bulldoze our land?” Ementa queried. He reiterated that the menace of land grabbing had become so unbearable in the community, and that the security operatives had not yielded to their several appeals for intervention
His words: “Land grabbing is killing us in Enugwu-Agidi. It is eating us left, right and center. Our people can no longer farm. We cannot sleep with our two eyes. These land grabbers mount armed men in our bushes everywhere, taking our land by force. So, people can no longer go there, contributing to food insecurity in Anambra State, and particularly my home village.
“Before now, people used to come to our village to buy corn, cassava and others, because our women are predominantly farmers. But today, it’s no longer the same. These women now struggle and force themselves to do anything to survive, to put food put on their table, because the land grabbers have taken over our entire land by force,” he lamented, while also re-echoing the people’s call for Governor Soludo’s urgent intervention.
Corroborating the narrative, the Chairman of Achalla Village Enugwu-Agidi, Mr. Obinna Okoyeocha, who described the situation as a blatant case of land grabbing, recounted that the current issue dated back to 2022 when an attempt was first made to encroach on the Ezionogwo land, which shares boundary with Nawgu. He noted that despite taking the matter to court, the illegal activities still continued.
“I personally went to the land in 2022 when this started. They (the armed hoodlums they stationed in the bush) beat me up and tore my clothes, even when they knew I was the village chairman. We have videos showing these armed hoodlums in action. On Monday, I was called again that a caterpillar was in our land bulldozing everywhere. I saw it myself, and as you could also see today, that elderly man was crying over the destruction of his farmland,” Okoyeocha recounted bitterly.
He revealed that the villagers have a well-established process for land sales, which was not followed in this case, adding that none of the people involved in this is from Achalla Village, apart from the allegedly excommunicated Obinna Oguejiofor, who confessed to being aware of the activities and identities of the alleged land grabbers and also communicating with them.
“Nobody sold any land to these people; as I was not aware of any such transaction, as the village Chairman. So, they are forcefully taking our land, destroying crops, and removing landmarks,” he stated.
The Village Chairman further joined his voice to call on the government to intervene, stressing that the community does not want violence but only seeks justice and protection for their ancestral land.
“We don’t need violence or fight; we just want to farm and live in peace. The government and relevant authorities must come to our aid now, intervene and ensure that justice prevails, to avoid this escalating further,” he appealed.
Earlier giving an overview of the visit, the Chairman of Obunagu Achalla Village, Mr. Emeka Ementa, explained that the villagers, after receiving the tip-off, mobilized to inspect the damage, and were shocked by the extent of destruction as the caterpillars invaded thousands of acres of farmland.
While re-emphasizing that the village has no land business with any estate company, he utterly condemned the activities of the land grabbers in the community. He also expressed fears that such illegalities and the destruction of farmlands would destabilize the community’s livelihood, warning that the growing tension could escalate into a full-blown crisis if urgent steps were not taken to address the issue.
“We are a peace-loving people, but our patience is being tested. This is not just about land; it’s about our heritage, our livelihood, and our future. Where will our children live, if this mess continues? We are appealing to Governor Soludo to come to our rescue before things get out of hand,” he cautioned.
Continuing, he said: “Governor Soludo has done well in tackling security challenges in Anambra State. We are pleading with him to also deploy the same vigor address and tackle this issue of land grabbing, which is becoming a serious threat to the peace and stability of rural communities.”
They villagers unanimously reiterated their commitment to peaceful resolution, even as they expressed optimism that their appeal for help would not go unheard and that Governor Soludo will act swiftly to protect their ancestral heritage and ensure that justice prevails.
More photos from the inspection:
