By Chukwudi Ebele
The Okpuruland Landlords cum Landowners at Eziumunya village, Umunya community, Oyi Local Government Area, Anambra State, have protested against alleged harassment, assault, intimidation, malicious damage to property, threat to lives, extortion, imposition of illegal levies, carting away of building materials and conduct likely to cause breach of peace reportedly perpetrated by the Caretaker Committee Chairman of Eziumunya village – Mr. Chigozie Nweke also known as ‘Udo’ and his armed thugs.
Carrying placards with descriptions like, Stop destroying our property, Stop Extortion and scaring away Okpuruland developers and workers, Say no to imposition of illegal levies, Chigozie Nweke stop attacking Okpuruland owners, Udo stop molesting and harassing our workers, Oluatuegwu come to our rescue, Chigozie Nweke leave Okpuruland Landlords alone, Be warned Okpuruland is a sacred, the peaceful protesters called on Governor Chukwuma Soludo of Anambra State to intervene and rescue them from the alleged ordeals they have been passing through since the caretaker chairman, Chigozie Nweke assumed office few months ago.
Addressing newsmen on Saturday, the Chairman Okpuruland Landlords/ Land owners, Chief Stephen Oforleh (Award) alleged that the protest follows the illegal collection of levies, demolition of ongoing buildings under construction, the flogging of workers with machetes and guns which resulted to the hospitalization of some of the site workers and builders by Chigozie Nweke and his armed thugs.
According to Oforleh, the Okpuruland is sacred. It has its peculiarities from time immemorial. The land belongs to the Umuezeani family and has a special covenant respected by the entire Umunya community thus exempting the Okpuruland from indiscriminate levies.
“Previous administrations before Chigozie Nweke had never collected such development levies and the Okpuruland Landlords association has written to him through a Counsel, CB Ukanze and Co, warning him to stop extortion and collecting of illegal levies, but he has refused.
“Chigozie Nweke has been collecting money to the tune of N10,000 and N20,000 from truck drivers who are bringing building materials on sites in and around Okpuruland.
All these criminal and condemnable actions perpetrated by his armed thugs are in a bid to compel the Okpuruland owners to pay the illegal sum of N500,000.00 each for development. We have evidence that the illegal levies extorted from the developers are paid into a private account,” alleged Ofoleh.
“Okpuruland was shared as 1 man, 1 plot apart from few portions that were sold together by umuezeani family through their executives. Most of the land there was sold on individual basis, from Umuezeani family members. Some land owners have finished and occupied their buildings for many years now.
“We have made all the approved payments to Umuezeani family, who are the owner of the Okpuruland, then to other appropriate authorities like the Umunya Town Union and the government,” Ofoleh said.
Former Chairman of Umuezeani, Chief Emma Okwundu, supported the association’s claims, stating that no such levy was collected during his tenure. He added that the land is sacred, and only the Umuezeani family has authority over it.
Moreso,Chief Onyeka Nweke (Ezennia), Chairman of the Umuezeani Kindred, confirmed that the land is sacred and that Chigozie Nweke’s actions were unauthorized.
According to former Chairman, Eziumunya Progressive Union/village, Chief Gabriel Okwundu, it is a long standing tradition, Eziumunya village is forbidden from collecting any levy
or interfering in any form in the affairs that affect Okpuruland and its
landlords because of this age-long covenant which previous chairmen that led Eziumunya village
maintained, namely, Mr. Emmanuel Okwundu, Mr. Samson Nwabude,
Mr. Obinna Shadrack Okonkwo and others before me.
“Ever since this year Chigozie Nweke became the caretaker chairman of Eziumunya village, he decided to disregard the age-long Covenant and went berserk using armed thugs who embark on malicious damage to structures put up by landowners in Okpuruland. He is on his own. We the villagers and the General Umunya community, Umunya Development Union have been warning him to stay clear but he refused,” said Okwundu.
Contributing, the Councillor representing Umunya ward 2, Hon Okwundu Ugonna Emmanuel condemned in its entirety the actions of Chigozie Nweke saying that his greed for money has made him throw caution to the wind. “Can you believe that he sends his thugs to harass me, a native of Umunya, forcing me to pay illegal levies in my own country home before I build any structure. Chigozie Nweke should go and make his own investigation about Okpuruland to avoid causing break down of law and order”
Moreover, the association called on Governor Charles Soludo, Local Government Mayor, Hon Emma Nweke, and the Member Representing Oyi in the State House of Assembly, Ojicam, to intervene.
The President General of the Community through his Public Relation Officer, Mr Peter Onuigbo promised to look into the matter and invite both parties soon.
In a swift reaction, the Caretaker Chairman Mr. Chigozie Nweke denied the allegations, claiming that the levy was for Eziumunya village adding that previous administrations had collected similar levies.
He said that he had been demanding the Landlords to submit their land documents to him saying that the land in question is Iyi Ota, which borders Okpuruland. Chigozie Nweke also claimed that his actions were backed by a court ruling.
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