No fewer than two hundred indigenes of Ezinano in Awka, Awka South local government area of Anambra state comprising men, women and youths embarked on a peaceful protest over alleged attempts by the Anambra State Police command to take away their communal land.
The protesters who walked from Ogbubankwa to police headquarters Amawbia bearing placards of different inscriptions, some of which read, ‘Police leave our land’, ‘Police stay away from our fathers land’, Police go for security not our land, and so on alleged that alleged that some of the communities laying claims over the land had reportedly contracted the police to construct a post (station) on the land as well as develop it as estate for the contenders.
Speaking to Newsmen, the youth president of Ezinano, Mr. Tochukwu Nwosu, maintained that the land under contention is part of those they share boundary with Enugwu-Agidi, Nawfia, Isuaniocha and Okpuno, adding that they had contracted some contractors to develop the property only for the police to chase them away without explanation.
“The land is owned by Ezinano community comprising 5 villages in Amikwo, 7 villages in Eziawka, 7 villages in Aguluawka and one village of Umuokpu. We have a boundary with Okpuno (Awka South Local Government Area, LGA), Nawfia and Enugwu-Agidi (Njikoka LGA). We learnt that the police want to construct a police post at the place and to help one of the communities in developing a part as an estate.
“We have written to state government, AIG, Commissioner, and there is no response, so we the people of Ezinano are on peaceful demonstration asking the police to leave us and our land alone. Our mothers, our fathers, youths are all there and we want peace”.
“That is why we are kicking against it. We don’t need a police post on it. We have our own developers but police chased the contractors away, seized thier properties and so on. This land belong to us. We have been to court with Enugwu-Agidi and won. We have been to court with Isuaniocha and Okpuno and won. We are currently at Supreme Court. We want the police to stay clear of the land,” he added.
In a reaction from the Anambra State Police command headquarters in Amawbia, the State Police Commissioner, Mr Aderemi Adeoye denied involvement of the force in any land matter, explaining that they were only trying to stop breach of law and order.
“We have received correspondences from your lawyers. We saw that the matter is at supreme court. We are assuring you that we are not going to take away any land. We are not in Anambra State to takeaway people inheritance but to maintain peace, law and order. When a request came for us to construct a police post to help wade away gunmen operating around the area, we came. But when we received a letter from Ezinano people to keep off, we stayed clear,”.
