….Call For Investigation Over Unfair Use Of Personal Lands
Land owners of Central Market Residential layout, in Umuohiadagu Nekede, Owerri West LGA have gathered to voice their anger over the use of individual lands, with Certificates of Occupancy (C of Os), for the planned construction of shopping mall owned by the former president of Nigeria, his Excellency Chief Olusegun Obasanjo.
The demonstrators, who marched with chants and placards with inscriptions,
“Let’s Investigate Sun city Layout Freedom layout Central Market” “Leave our lands alone, we have our C of Os and allocation papers issued by the state Govt.” ” Nze Ozichukwu and JPK Anyanwu, please allow land owners and natives to breathe “, ” JPK Anyanwu and Nze Ozichukwu can’t have monopoly of three layouts ” amongst others called on Governor Hope Uzodinma to launch a thorough investigation into the ongoing situation at the Central Market Residential Layout.
Addressing the press, Chief Oluchukwu Nnabugwu and pastor Paschal Iwuoha who spoke on behalf of the land allottees decried the alleged criminal activities, unwarranted destruction of their properties, by J.P.K Anyanwu and his companies namely Joe Jonny Joyson Ent. Ltd and Donez Global services LTD who claimed that they have the instructions and approval of His Excellency, Gov. Hope Uzodinma to carry out their land grabbing activities.
In his words, “Dr. J PK Anyanwu who was a retired Director in Ministry of Commerce and Industry had sometimes in 2021 produced letters of allocations over Central Market pucket layout with the connivance of some government officials and sold same to unsuspecting Imolites for personal gains”.
” Presently, the duo having succeeded with the Freedom & Suncity Pocket layouts and extorting millions of naria from landowners and allottees, proceeded with a new tactic by mobilizing over 50 police men and over 70 hoodlums with earth moving equipment and bulldozed properties worth Over two billions Naria belonging to landowners and allottees before the intervention of the Commissioner of Police Imo state and some Imo Government Officials. We immediately approached the High Court in Owerri, Imo state in Suit No: HOW/966/2023 to stop the demolition which matter is still pending before the court”.
“Thereafter, the said Dr. JPK Anyanwu and his companies mobilized some workers with some equipment, broke into some of the plots at the said layout brutalized our clients workers and tenants and forcefully carried out soil test in the said plots and the incident was reported to New Owerri Police Division.
Notwithstanding the report at the police and the matter pending in court, same JPK Anyanwu and co who claim that they are above the law, keep up with their dastard activities”.
Recently, the same companies, still in land grabbing business have published and broadcasted a ground opening ceremony for a planned construction of shopping mall allegedly towned by the former President of Nigeria, his Excellency Chief Olusegun Obasanjo which implies utter takeover of the plots of lands given to landlords as compensatory plots allocated to some allottees most of whom have perfected their documents and have their certificates of occupancy in respect of the land intend to be used to build a shopping mall “.
The protesters insisted that the state government must respect the ownership rights of landholders who possess legitimate documentation. They argued that their Certificates of Occupancy and allocation papers are evidences of their rightful claim to the lands and any government action that disregards these documents is unlawful and unjust.The protesters emphasized the urgency of Governor Uzodinma’s intervention. They urged the governor to scrutinize the allocation and reallocation processes within the Central Market Residential Layout and other affected areas.
” We therefore call on His Excellency , Gov. Hope Uzodinma to openly disclaim and disown these land Grabbers and their activities as their conducts are denting the image of the governor who cannot collect people’s land with government Certificates of Occupancy without revocation. We demand also for the immediate restrain from further demolition of properties belonging to landowners and even allottees on the lands in dispute pending the outcome of any investigation and the case in court”.
They further charged the promoters of the said ground breaking ceremony, Nze Ozichukwu and other government officials to consider the plights of the landlords in these lands economy and allow the rightful land owners develop their rightful acquired lands in peace.
