By Peter Nwasike
07037946858
The Abba Town Union (ATU), Njikoka Local Government Area, Anambra State, has petitioned the Anambra State House of Assembly, Awka, requesting for intervention to resolve land dispute amicably. The request was made by the Town, when their leaders made a peaceful protest march, to the House, recently.
In their protest letter, signed by Engr. B.C. Anaekwe (President General), and delivered to the Speaker, Rt. Hon. Uchenna Okafor, the Town intimated that land dispute had existed between them and neighbouring towns for many years, which had been adjudicated by many Courts, at High Court, Appeal Court, and Supreme Court, but no final judgement yet. At the latest adjudication, it was discovered that the file case of the ealier hearings were missing. The Supreme Court, averred that: “The loss of the records of the appeal is a factor that has vitiated and rendered the judgement invalid”. The Supreme Court then advised that: “It is in the best interest of the parties to go back to the trial Court and sort the mess”. (Page 21, paragraph 1, of the Supreme Court Judgement).
The President General said that they and their neighbours complied with the mandate of the Supreme Court and made concerted efforts to locate the missing records and settle amicably, but all efforts proved futile. But to their utmost consternation, one of their neighbouring disputants, took laws into their hands and unleashed terror and victimization on them. The aggressive neighbor used bulldozers and demolished their crops, denied them access to their farmland known as AGU-ABBA, and hindered their efforts to respond to the directives of the State Government for massive farming, (UGBO AZUNO) to avert precipitation of farmine, consequent upon COVID. 19. The hostile neighbor also demolished their market stalls, at their OYE ABBA MARKET, which they intend to develop into an international market, as it is situated on the popular Onitsha-Enugu Expressway. They also demolished the peremeter fencing of their Secondary School, owned by the State Government, together with that of their indigenous industries. They regard these acts of harassment, intimidation and victimization, as militating against the tenets of civilization, which required natives to contribute to the urbanization of their homes, so that people could live at home and achieve socio-economic actualization, and minimize youths migrating to urban areas.
The Abba people therefore called on the Legislature, as one of the Arms of Government, to intervene and resolve the matter amicably and save them from being disposed to their inheritance.
The Speaker, Rt. Hon. Uchenna Okafor, thanked Abba people for making peaceful protest to the rightful authority, to express their grievances. He said that it shows that they are law-abiding citizens who heed the advice of the Governor, to channel issues of land dispute for peaceful solution, and not resort to violence, precipitating fatality. He assured that security and welfare of the people is the cardinal duty of Government, and so, they shall take necessary measures, together with the Executive, to ensure that people live in mutual understanding and respect and go about their business in atmosphere of peace and tranquility. Among those in the Abba Delegation was Dr. Mrs Ngozi Obi-Chukwuma, President, Women Wing.