By Chukwudi Ebele
Landlords from various Estates at 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, and conduct likely to cause breach of peace reportedly perpetrated by the Chairman of Ajakpani village – Chief Sunday Udebunu also known as ‘Owoh’ and his armed thugs.
Carrying placards with descriptions like, Sunday Udebunu leave us alone, Owoh stop using thugs on us, Owoh Festac Villa Housing Estate is not located at Ajakpani land, Sunday Udebunu Stop Extortion and scaring away Estate developers and workers, Say no to imposition of illegal levies, Owoh we did not buy land from Ajakpani Village, Sunday Udebunu stop attacking Estate Landlords, Owoh stop molesting and harassing our workers with your thugs, Oluatuegwu come to our rescue, 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 from the Ajakpani Village chairman, Sunday Udebunu.
Addressing newsmen yesterday, the Chairman of the Estate Landlords in Umunya, Chief Stephen Oforleh (Award) alleged that the protest follows the illegal collection of levies, the flogging of workers with machetes and guns by thugs allegedly sent by Sunday Udebunu, a Chairman of another village saying that the incessant harassments resulted to desertion of artisans working at various sites at the Estates.
According to Oforleh, we have been living here since 2010, before we started work here, we paid everything we ought to pay to Umunya community.
“We did not buy this land from Ajakpani Village. We bought the land which is a private property from Nwoye Udama and his siblings including Obichukwu although the family is from Ajakpani Village but the family bought the land from Ezi Umunya village earlier before selling the land to us.
“We paid in full before taking possession of the land over a decade now. Since 2010 no leadership of Ajakpani Village or person has ever come to these Estates to impose or collect any levy from us because they know that the land does not belong to Ajakpani Village.
“Surprisingly and to our bewilderment, when Sunday Udebunu assumed office last year he invaded this land with over 40 touts allegedly clad with different kinds of weapons with a letter demanding that each building should pay #500,000, being the money for Ajakpani Development Union Levy.
“We replied him through our Counsel, Madukaego F. Uzoigwe& Associates who made it clear to Ajakpani Development Union/village that they do not have locus to operate here in this land because it is located at Eziumunya village warning Sunday Udebunu and his boys to stop the extortion and collection of illegal levies , but he has refused.
“Ever since, he has been sending his thugs to threaten, beat up our workers and seize their tools forcing the landlords they capture on site to transfer 100,000 naira to be released. Two of such victims include Mr Michael Aniekwe and Arinze Brazil.
“We have taken our complaints to the President General, Umunya who promised to call Sunday Udebunu to order yet the extortion and harassment has continued. The shocking part is that after his thugs allegedly beat up two Northerners working for one of the landlords, when they travelled back to the North and told their relatives. Those Northerners went to my in-law ‘s shop and vandalized his property in retaliation,” alleged Ofoleh.
“We are calling on the State Government led by Prof Chukwuma Soludo (Oluatuegwu’) to come to our rescue because his administration is not business as usual which can tolerate any form of thuggery, touting or disturbance to development. We are also calling on the Mayor of Oyi Local Government Area, Hon Emma Nweke, and the Member Representing Oyi in the State House of Assembly, Ojicam, to intervene,” he pleaded.
Meanwhile, the first son of the individual who sold the land to the Estate landlords, Mr Ifeanyichukwu Nwoyeugo said categorically that the land does not belong to Ajakpani village urging Sunday Udebunu and his men to make further inquiry if they were in doubt. “Ajakpani Development Union should not disturb the Estate landlords because they bought these lands making full payment many years ago. Other leadership have led Ajakpani Village without interfering with the Estate landlords why should the present leadership start now. They should make consultations to know the history of that land”.
Moreso, an Elder from Eziumunya village, Chief Udeani Nweke Ugboaku confirmed that the Festac Villa Housing Estate and the surrounding Estates are situated at Eziumunya village and not at Ajakpani village warning Sunday Udebunu to stay clear from those Estates located at Eziumunya.
Eziumunya leadership also promised to wade into the matter ensuring that they would call Sunday Udebunu (Owoh) to order.
In a swift reaction, the Ajakpani Village Chairman, Chief Sunday Udebunu (Owoh)denied the allegations, claiming that the levy was for Ajakpani Development Union.
“We did not collect any levy from them, if at all some people were given money, it was chop – money. There are youths in every community roaming around. Maybe the landlords gave the youths money for food. No person from that Estate has come to pay us any levy.
“Ajakpani Village has boundary with Festac Villa Housing Estate coupled with the fact that it was our brothers from Ajakpani Village that sold the land to them.
“We are still investigating because we were not on the seat of leadership before, we are just trying to recover our lost lands. We wrote a letter to Festac Villa Housing Estate. The Estate landlords later invited us but we have not come to a conclusion because we told them we shall investigate their claims. We shall see our brothers who sold the land to them and also discuss with Eziumunya village whom they were referring to as the original owners of the land,” Udebunu claimed.
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