To His Excellency, Senator Hope Uzodinma,
Governor of Imo State.
SOS. APPEAL TO INVESTIGATE HON BEDE EKE (COMMISSIONER FOR HOUSING), MR PASCHAL NWAKAMMA (SA ON RECOVERY OF GOVT. LANDS) OVER DEMOLITION OF OUR HOMES, INTENTION TO CONVERT OUR LAND TO THEIR PERSONAL OWNERSHIP, HARASSMENT, INTIMIDATION AND BULLYING OF OUR PEOPLE.
We, the people of Emeke Agbala Village in Agbala Autonomous community, Owerri North LGA, are writing to express our utmost outrage and distress over the heartless demolition of buildings and residential homes belonging to members of our community by your Commissioner for Housing, Hon Bede Eke, and the Special Adviser on government land recovery, Mr Paschal Nwakamma who have of recent been involved in illegal land grabbing activities within communities in Owerri for their personal benefits.
These individuals, accompanied by heavily armed police, invaded our community, demolishing homes built years ago, and, intimidating, harassing, and unleashing terror on our people. This is unacceptable, and we call on your Excellency to rein them in before they destroy the reputation of your government which is focused on growing the domestic economy of Imo citizens and encouraging family unit investment in home ownership.
Our people woke up on Thursday 7th and today 14th November 2024 to contend with the Housing Commissioner and SA on Land Recovery move into our land without prior notice to the owners and demolished all the houses that our people suffered over the years to build on their family lands. It is instructive to inform Your Excellency that the area in question, known and called “OTULAOGWUGWU” in Emeke Agbala, is privately owned by families who inherited it from their ancestors. There was never a time the commissioner or the SA consulted or negotiated with individual land owners for the purpose of any acquisition. There is also no time that this administration or its predecessor acquired this land from the owners. It therefore confounds us that the Housing Commissioner and SA marched into our private lands, demolished our buildings, cleared the land and begun selling it to unknown individuals without any form of recourse to the rightful owners.
We urge you to intervene and halt this brazen robbery, which tarnishes your administration’s image. Your government has not acquired this land, and we challenge Hon Bede Eke and Mr Paschal Nwakamma to provide evidence to prove otherwise.
Your Excellency has a reputation for encouraging our people to look homewards for purposes of investments and development. It is preposterous, therefore, that these individuals, Hon Bede Eke and Mr Paschal Nwakamma will invent their selfish scheme to rubbish the good work you’re doing in the state.
It is now on record that the commissioner and SA have attempted similar land grabs in Owerri North, but failed due to lack of sincerity.These actions are part of a larger pattern of abuse, mirroring the corruption and human rights violations which your administration is avers to.
Our investigation reveals that Your Excellency did not authorise these illegal activities on our land, hence our reluctance to commence legal action in a court of law.
We therefore make the following demands:-
Immediate cessation of all land dispossession activities by these individuals in our community.
Investigation into Hon Bede Eke and Mr Paschal Nwakamma’s actions
Restitution for affected families.
Protection for our community from further harassment, intimidation and bullying.
We implore you to uphold justice, protect our rights, and preserve the integrity of your administration.
Sincerely,
- Chief Luke Ogaram
- Pastor Bernard Ibecheole
- Theodore Ajaero
- Bartholomew Onyemegbulam
- Livinus Ogaram
- Longinus Osuji
- Ugochukwu Amadi
- Celestine Akuwudike
- Chima Kelechi
- Ben Akuwudike
- Engr. Nnamdi Azu
- Amos Agoh
- Mobi Osuji
- Policarp Osuji
- Kelechi Hedo
- Edward Anamelechi
- Onyekachi Orji
- Richard Opara
- Chief Camilius Oguike
- Eugene Ibecheole
- Ifeanyi Akagha
- Umezuruike Nnadi
- Chikodi Ezemadu
- George Anyaegbu
- Benedict Opara
On behalf of Leaders of Emeke Agbala Village.