Enugu Community Protests Alleged Land Grabbing by State Government

The people of Nchatancha Nike community in the Enugu-East Local Government Area of Enugu State embarked on a protest over an alleged ongoing land grabbing in their community by the state government.

In a video posted on X on Sunday and viewed by West Africa Weekly, the inhabitants, in their numbers, were seen protesting around markets and village halls within the community. They held placards with inscriptions reading ‘our house and land are not for sale’ ‘Nchatancha Nike life matters’, and ‘Enugu State government, leave us alone’.

Men, women, and children were seen chanting in Igbo, “This is an abomination. The government has taken our land. All we have is gone. Nchatancha community is finished. We shall not agree. Let the governor hear us. Hunger will kill us.”

A man who appeared to be the leader of the protest spoke, saying:

“The government has taken eighty percent of land of the community. We have already agreed to give them 245 hectares to take and use for anything and for them to take from other communities, but they refused. They want to push us out from this our community. And we don’t know where they want us to go.

“Right now, about 50 caterpillars are there demolishing our community, both people’s land and crops, everything. We want the government to help to talk to our governor.”

Speaking on the situation, an elder of the community said:

“I don’t understand what is going on in Peter Mbah’s government. I myself have been retired for the past 11 years. I wasn’t paid any gratuity but managed to build this small house. I do not have any other place to go to except for this place I built on my father’s land. They are asking us to vacate within seven days. All I’m asking is that the government should leave my house alone. I’m pleading, no one should bring down my house.”

Lamenting over the nationwide hunger and economic hardship, he further stated, “The height of it is that they are using caterpillars to destroy our crops. Currently, Nigerians are facing severe hunger. Despite the damage Fulani herdsmen are already causing to our farmlands, the government is now contributing, destroying our crops. It is very bad.”

Similarly, in a different video posted on 10 February 2024, another group of people in Eziobodo, Amechi Idodo, in Nkanu East Local Government Area, was seen protesting against the alleged government’s notice to vacate their ancestral homes without reason.

Those who spoke on the issue alleged that a combined team of security operatives was led by one Frank Nnaji on behalf of the government.

Lamenting that they have no other home, they pled with Nigerians, Ndi Igbo, and the Enugu State to come to their aid.

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Joy Chukwu

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