IGBOZURUOKE MEDIA

Tension has escalated in Owo, the hometown of Enugu State Governor, Peter Mbah, following what residents describe as a fresh invasion and destruction of their property by personnel of the Nigerian Army. 

The community on Monday had staged a peaceful protest, accusing the military of attempting to forcibly seize their ancestral lands despite a court injunction restraining such actions.

Women, youths and elderly residents of Owo thronged the streets carrying placards that read: “Remove Soldiers, Restore Peace,” “Owo Land Is Not Barracks,” “Respect the Constitution,” “Say No to Military Land Grabbing,” and “President Tinubu, Save Us from Military Intimidation.”

Addressing journalists, counsel to the community, Barr. Igwenagu Ngene, recalled that the crisis began in November 2015 when residents woke to see soldiers occupying parts of the community, marking buildings with inscriptions such as “Remove, Army Land, Keep Off.”

Ngene said the Army also mounted billboards and beacons across the area, claiming ownership of the entire community. He noted that letters sent to the 82 Division of the Nigerian Army and petitions to the Enugu State Government and House of Assembly yielded no result.

“When all intervention efforts failed, we took the matter to the National Assembly. After a fact-finding visit and several hearings, the Army was directed to stay off the land since it could not provide any document proving ownership,” he said. 

According to him, soldiers withdrew after the lawmakers’ intervention but returned in April 2025, prompting the community to seek legal redress. 

He disclosed that the Enugu State High Court, presided over by Justice C. O. Ajah, issued an injunction in Suit No. 375/2025 restraining the Army pending the determination of the case. 

At his palace, the visibly distressed traditional ruler of Owo, Igwe Godwin Okeke Arum, condemned the alleged military occupation.

“It is disheartening that a whole community is being asked to quit its ancestral home simply because some people are wielding guns bought with taxpayers’ money,” he lamented.

The Igwe alleged that soldiers had threatened to take over his palace, cultural shrines, and even the ancestral home of Governor Mbah. 

He also accused military operatives of harassing residents, destroying ongoing projects and frustrating investors.

Similarly, the President-General of Owo community, Chief John Ogbu, appealed to both the state and federal governments to intervene urgently.

“This is a direct plea to President Bola Tinubu to save our people. The Army’s actions are making life unbearable. Our people can no longer go to their farms due to fear of heavily armed soldiers. Investors are being turned back. This is a democracy, not military rule,” he said.

Ogbu stressed that the Army must respect the courts and the laws of Nigeria, insisting that Owo would not surrender its land to force or intimidation.

(Sahara Reporters)