Indigenes of Mbananọ community in Enugwu-Agidi, Njikoka Local Government Area of Anambra State, took to the streets on Saturday to protest various issues plaguing their community, including land disputes, land grabbing, harassment, rape of women, intimidation, and encroachment on farmlands.
The demonstrators, hailing from the villages of Igbollo, Obunagu Achalla, Iruobieli, and Ifite, marched to key locations such as the State Criminal Investigation Department, State Police Headquarters, Department of State Service Headquarters, and the State Government House in Awka. They brandished placards with diverse inscriptions conveying their grievances.
"The activities of the land grabber, if unchecked, would definitely lead to a breakdown of law and order in Anambra State capital territory, which includes Awka and Enugwu-Agidi," said Chief Peter Onuekwusi, the spokesperson for the Mbanano community protesters, during an interview with journalists. "We plead that urgent action be taken to stop his activities and his cohorts, as it is gradually expanding to kidnapping incidents. We can no longer farm on our lands; our women are being intimidated and raped."
Onuekwusi addressed concerns about recent protests involving naked women in Awka, asserting that these women were not from Awka but were hired from another community by the alleged land grabber to distract the police. He urged the Inspector-General of Police not to yield to pressure to redeploy two police officers accused of aiding and abetting crimes in the community, stating that these officers rejected overtures from the land grabber. "The current Commissioner of Police, in order to avert the breakdown of law, order, and peace in the area, had invited Mbanano Community in Enugwu-Agidi and Ezinano Community in Awka to mediate in the matter. Ezinano Community, Awka did not honour the invitation, while Mbanano Community, Enugwu-Agidi did, with the Igwe of Enugwu-Agidi as the leader of the delegation," he explained.
"The aim of this protest is to tell the Inspector-General of Police not to succumb to the people who are mounting pressure on him to redeploy the two police officers wrongly accused of aiding and abetting crimes in the community," Onuekwusi emphasized.
"The activities of the land grabber, if unchecked, would definitely lead to a breakdown of law and order in Anambra State capital territory, which includes Awka and Enugwu-Agidi. We humbly request urgent intervention to restrict and ban the land grabber and his thugs/militia from our Mbanano Community lands, Enugwu-Agidi. We also request a comprehensive investigation, subsequent proscription, and revocation of the licence granted him to operate a security outfit in the area," he concluded.
The protesters, led by Onuekwusi, presented a 10-page document containing the history and records of their ancestral lands to the police. They called for urgent intervention to curb the activities of the alleged land grabber and his cohorts, citing the potential for a breakdown of law and order in Anambra State's capital territory. They also requested a comprehensive investigation, subsequent proscription, and revocation of the license granted to the land grabber to operate a security outfit in the area.
Addressing the protesters on
behalf of the State Commissioner of Police, Assistant Commissioner of Police
ACP Anietie Eyoh thanked them for their peaceful conduct and assured them that
the police would thoroughly look into their concerns.
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