Trucks of armed security watch Oba Airport land as Anambra community petitions governor Obiano over illegal sale of land

www.odogwublog.com reports that some indigenes of Oba community in Idemili South council area of Anambra state have alleged that the land initially acquired by the state government is now being sold by speculators for residential buildings.

The petitioners told journalists in Oba that it was morally and legally wrong for the government to allow land meant for public good to be sold to private developers without compensation to the original owners.

 They argue that since the airport project for which it was proposed had been abandoned and that government should transfer the land back to the original owners or use it for a purpose that serves overriding public interest.

 Prince Henry Ezenwa, a former chairman of Idemili South council area and an indigene of Oba said that the community was informed in 2014 that thirty hectares of the land was given to shoemakers association.

 Ezenwa alleged that officials of the Ministry of Lands gave the land to a speculator who inturn sold it to private residence developers urging the state governor, Chief Willie Obiano to investigate the injustice being done to the people, saying they would explore every legal means to get justice.

 “Oba people gave government that land for airportproject and the law is clear that when the purpose is no longer feasible, suchland should go back to the people. They said thirty hectres of the land was given to Emordi Shoe Association but it turned out that they are land grabber who are just plotting the land and selling it to private developers.

 “No compensation was paid to this community in thefirst agreement and no compensation is being paid now, moreover there is nolegal document showing the fraud going on here. I have personally written the governor on this and get no response, the State House of Assembly has invited Oba people, the Attorney General." He claimed

 Another indigene of Oba, Mr Chibueze Chukwuka said about one hundred plots of land belonging to his family including twenty five plots he inherited from his father should not be sold to others without compensation.

 Chukwuka said people of the town have been intimidated with soldiers and other security personnels that every attempt to openly demonstrate had been repelled by agents hired by the speculators.

 He also called on the state governor to intervene and avert an impending bloodshed as the people of the town could no longer stomach the forceful takeover oftheir land.

 Also speaking, Chief Rommy Ezeonwuka lamented that the Oba airport where aero plane flew him and others straight to Frankfurt Germany in the late1980s never saw the light of day.

 Ezeonwuka, a member of the All Progressives Grand Alliance(APGA) Board of Trustees(BoT) said he was not bothered that he lost some acres of land he bought in 1978 to the airport project but regretted that somebody had taken over the land and has started selling it before his eyes.

 He said he has been suggesting to the various governments of Anambra to use the area for a mechanic village to decongest the commercial town of Onitsha, Obosi and Nnewi but his advice was not heeded.

 “It is unfortunate that Anambra airport, Oba turned out to be a failed project but I have written government after the other that the land should be used for a mechanic village which is also serve the public interest well. I see myself as part of this government and as an elder, I have tried to calm the people but everyday things get worse and they see their land being sold and developed without recourse to them.

 Ezeonwuka popularly called Rojeny said there is urgent need for government and the people to sit down and find a way out of this crisis instead of using security operatives to intimidate them.

 Four trucks of heavily armed soldiers were seen in strategic locations keeping watch at the site of the abandoned airport project at the time of filing this report.