Maduako Igbokwe l Tuesday, March 17, 2020
ONITSHA, Anambra, Nigeria – Over 30 septuagenarians and octogenarians in Umuezegbe Aborji Community in Oba Idemili South Local Government Area of Anambra State have protested against moves by the state government to sell off their lands to private individuals.
The aggrieved elders who were agitated by the development, marched into the streets, protesting that the partitioning and selling of their lands earmarked for Anambra International Market Oba to individuals for personal buildings is unacceptable.
Spokesman for the protesting elders , Chief Augustine Ikedi, said that they have the papers used to allocate the seven plots of the Oba community land to an individual by agents of Anambra State government, and warned that they will not tolerate the development.
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According to him, the promises Anambra State government and the contractor financier, Burkam Nigerian Limited made 18 years ago, after the Oba land was acquired have not been fulfilled.
“We did not involve our youth in the protest to avoid bloody clash with government officials or agents of the contractor, Burkham Nigerian Limited. As you can see nobody is less than 70 years old and the oldest here is 86 years, we are not here for jokes, we are very angry about the recent selling of our land to individuals, after acquisition without compensation by government or Burkham Nigerian Limited.
“What we are saying is that we want the market project and development in Oba, but we must be compensated by the government and Burkham Nigeria Limited”he said. He further said that the contractor of the market had promised to build hospital, electricity in the community as well as roads, but none has been done.
“We lost many economic trees like Iroko, palm trees and others, only for us to see last Thursday, Friday and Saturday further clearing of our land by people who claim to have bought the land from government.”he stated
Also speaking, Chairman of Umuezegbe Aborji Village Oba Evangelist Benson Anajemba said that whoever that was involved in the last Thursday and Saturday clearing of land, should come and talk with them, or nothing will happen at that site.”
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During the protest,the elders displayed placards with various inscriptions such as “Umuezegbe has not reached agreement with any group of individual on the take over of our land, “Burkan and MACPAN, we are not preventing or rejecting building of market and development that is coming to Oba, but due process must be followed. “
“Our land was acquired in 2002 under Governor Chunweoke Mbadinuji administration for building of market not for sale to individuals to build private houses” “Private property developers within Anambra Internationally Market Oba, be warned or you face the law. “Our land is not for sale to individuals or group through the back doors”
“If the Anambra State government is part of the recent plotting and selling to individual, Anambra International Market we must not be kept aside.”Government should not tamper with Anambra International Market land to satisfy individuals.”