Chinedum Treasure
President-General of Umuoba Anam Town Union, Chief Hon. Uchenna Anizor has appealed for peace and restraint following two days of violence involving Umuoba Anam and Amaeze Aguleri communities in Anambra East local government area of Anambra State over a disputed parcel of land.
Anizor made the appeal on Saturday, October 3, 2026, while reaffirming Umuoba Anam’s commitment to peaceful coexistence with Aguleri and other neighbouring communities.
“We want peace. There is no need for acrimony over this land issue,” Anizor said, adding that several meetings had been held between the two communities before the situation degenerated into violence on Thursday, October 1.
According to the Umuoba Anam PG, the dispute followed an attempt by leaders of Amaeze Aguleri to install a signpost at Ezi Otu Okpa Agba, popularly known as the Beach Road area.
Anizor said that after he was informed of the planned installation, the President-General of Aguleri contacted him, and both sides agreed that the installation should be suspended to allow for dialogue.
“After being informed, the President-General of Aguleri called me over the issue, and we agreed that the installation should be stopped pending the outcome of a dialogue,” he said.
He explained that the two communities subsequently held about four meetings at the palace of Igwe Idigo in an attempt to resolve the matter, but no agreement was reached.
The matter was later taken to the Mayor of Anambra East Local Government Area, Hon. Ifeanyi Chinweze, for further mediation.
Anizor said more than 17 meetings were subsequently held under the supervision of the Mayor as both sides tried to find a peaceful solution to the dispute.
He said Umuoba Anam continued to call for further consultations, insisting that more dialogue was necessary to prevent the situation from escalating.
According to him, the disagreement eventually became tense when Amaeze Aguleri insisted on proceeding with the installation of the signpost.
“In the nutshell, it was the insistence on erecting the signpost that led to the violence,” Anizor alleged.
He claimed that the ensuing confrontation resulted in the burning of shops and buildings around the waterside and market axis between the Aguleri and Umuoba Anam areas, before the situation escalated into wider violence.
Anizor said that immediately after the crisis began on October 1, he travelled to Umuoba Anam and the disputed area alongside the Mayor of Anambra East in an effort to restore calm.
He said the situation had, however, become difficult to control.
The Umuoba Anam leader also recalled the visit of the Deputy Governor of Anambra State, Dr. Onyekachukwu Ibezim, to the affected area on October 2 alongside the Mayor.
According to him, the Deputy Governor appealed to both sides to stop the violence and embrace peace.
Anizor, however, alleged that shortly after the Deputy Governor and his entourage left the area, gunshots were heard again.
“Barely a few minutes after the Deputy Governor and his entourage left the place, youths from Amaeze Aguleri started shooting sporadically again into Umuoba Anam. I was at the scene and they nearly shot me,” he alleged.
Despite the violence, Anizor said Umuoba Anam remained committed to peaceful coexistence with Aguleri, stressing that the two communities had maintained cordial relations for many years.
“We are always eager to maintain peace with our neighbours, and that is why we have adopted peace as our slogan,” he said.
“We will prefer a peaceful settlement of the matter and coexistence with them because we have lived peacefully for over a century and will continue to do so for many more years.”
Anizor called on the Anambra State and Federal Governments to sustain their intervention and work towards a peaceful and just resolution of the dispute.
He also commended the Federal, State and Local Government authorities for their efforts to end the crisis.
“We urge them to remain steadfast in pursuing a fair, just and peaceful resolution of the dispute in order to prevent further bloodshed,” Anizor added.
The Umuoba Anam PG’s appeal comes as tensions remain high following the October 1 and 2 clashes, with renewed calls for both communities to exercise restraint and allow dialogue to prevail.
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