Chinedum Treasure
Anambra State government have been called to wade into the illegal activities of some land grabbers trying to ignite crisis in various communities across the state.
President General of Urum Development Union, Sir Felix Godwin and other Stakeholders in the town made the call while speaking with Journalists in Awka on what they called illegal acquisition of land in Urum by some developers.
He underscored the urgent need for the Governor Soludo led administration through relevant authorities to look into the manner a particular land speculator named Nwaguatahihia is weilding wealth and inciting some youths to cause problem in the once peaceful community.
He narrated that the Nwaguatahihia who claimed communal land was sold to him by only five families, have gone ahead to boast that he has enough money to buy over the entire town and intimidate its leadership.
“Such utterances and development if not put to check by the government may lead to clash of interest and crises in the town,” he warned.
While responding to claims by Traditional Ruler of Urum, Igwe Benedict Nweke, the PG said it was quite unfortunate that the Community leader chose to be biased and speak in a manner that generated confusion and disappointment among his subjects.
The PG said the entire people of Urum were already taking necessary steps to ensure that nobody intimidates them by buying few persons over to override the overall developmental interest of the community.
Sir Godwin challenged the Developer to provide documents backing his claims of buying lands from the original owners and cautioned unsuspecting buyers to be ware of the activities of some unscrupulous elements parading as land owners.
The PG told Journalists that the Community have officially written to the security agents about the development and also to the state Ministry of Lands to be abreast of the development.
Sir Godwin therefore called on the residents of Urum to remain calm , peaceful and law abiding as they have full trust that the Soludo led government will respond swiftly and promptly to the matter with a view to ensuring that more development is attracted to the agrarian area.
Also some Stakeholders in Urum community have come out to put their weight and support behind the earlier stand of the Executive members of the town regarding their land at Ochiokwa layout.
One of them, the Leader of Ozor tittle holders in the Community, Chief Ebenezer Nwakeze and Elder Luis Umegbolu who spoke for the Elders of the Community insisted that there was never a time they sold the land to any developer.
The Chairman of Urum Land Committee, Brother Aron Okafor said the activities of speculators and grabbers were trying to put the community in bad light as lands are sold and resold by some agents who have no shame or integrity.
He said as a result, the Committee has been doing its best to ensure that genuine land buyers are not deceived hence the notice for members of the public wishing to acquire property in Urum Community to go through the proper channel created to avoid falling into the wrong hands.
Also speaking , the Chairman Urum in Diaspora, Chief Ignatius Nnameka, and the Chairman Urum Patriotic Forum, Sir Charles Nwankwor, said they would not have sold such strategic land out when the up coming generation in the area were still hoping to get a place to attract meaningful development to their community.
For his part, the Chairman Urum Concerned Citizens and former President General of the town, Chief Mathew Nwudo, and the Chairmen of the Four villages who spoke with the media also proclaimed that the said land belongs to the entire people of Urum and was not sold to the said developer who parades as Nwaguatahihia Properties or anyone else .
The land developer , Chief Okechukwu Chukwueme (Nwaguatahihia ) Properties had told newsmen that he bought the Ochiokwa land from the rightful owners in Urum, Awka North Local Government Area of Anambra State contrary to speculations.
According to him, the land was properly documented and due process followed in acquiring it from the five families that owned it.
The Traditional Ruler of Urum, Igwe Benedict Nweke als reaffirmed that the land in question belonged to some families in the community and not the entire town as insinuated .
It is expected that the Anambra state government through the Ministry of Lands wades into the matter to resolve it amicably.
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