Tension, as Umuakanumee land tussle lingers …Village Petitions Imo CP, others over involvement of Inspector Augustine Odidika

• Imo govt can’t interfere in a matter that is at Supreme Court –Govt official
• Police are not involved in land matters, it’s a civil matter -PPRO

Umuokanumee village in Ugbele community, Mgbidi in Oru West local government of Imo state is tension-soaked. The tension can only be doused by timely intervention of stakeholders, community leaders, traditional rulers and security agencies especially, the Nigeria Police, as represented in Imo state by Commissioner of Police Danjuma Aboki.

The intervention of the police has become necessary as one of their men, Inspector Augustine Odidika is allegedly involved in the community land tussle.

Findings revealed that the bone of contention is land dispute, which dates back to 1944. According to documents, the dispute over the land, known as ‘Ala Isi nkwu Okanumee’ was between Umuokanumee village and Umuochie, both in Ugbele Community.

“The legal tussle raged on till 24 of June 2014, when Justice K.A Orjiaku of the then Mgbidi High Court gave judgement in favour of Umuokanumee village in the suit as plaintiffs are as follows: Elder Sunday Mgbeajuru from a kindred called Umuihedoro, Augustine Ikegwuoha from Ozurumba kindred, paulinus Akukwe who was then the village chairman, from Umuihedoro kindred, Sylvanus Ireozor from Umunwasiri kindred, Edwin Nwowu from Umueluoka kindred and Peter Onyenamereibeya from Umuozurumba kindred, the four kindreds that make up Umuokanumee village were ably represented as plaintiffs,” the document made available to the reporter said.

Dissatisfied with the judgment which favoured Umuokanumee Umuochie appealed the judgement at the Court of appeal holden at Owerri on the 18th of August 2018. But the Appeal Court upheld the judgment of Mgbidi High Court, the chairman of the community said when they thought the legal battle was over and about to parcellate the land, they were served notice of Appeal at Supreme Court by Umuochie village.

According to him, at that point, Umuokanumee had exhausted her financial strength, as it became difficult to pay their lawyer.

“In order to raise the needed money, a resolution was passed by Umuokanumee Village Assembly that all married men who are entitled to share of the community land shall pay the sum of Hundred thousand Naira only, it was also agreed that those who promptly paid the said sum of N100,000 shall be given first, according to order of payments”

He explained that when it later dawn on them that the matter is still pending at the Supreme Court, they advised everyone to maintain status quo, pending Supreme court’s decision.

According to the Village Head, Dr. Alloysius Ikegwuoha, one of them, Inspector Augustine Odidika defied the order, allegedly using his position as a police officer to intimidate and harass members of the community. Inspector Augustine Odidika was also alleged to have forcibly entered into portion of the said land, claiming it belongs to his father, Odidika. Dr Ikegwuoha said: “He started erecting and defacing the land, the community tried to call him to order through his elder brother and the Head of his family, he insulted him and threatened to declared war against Umuokanumee community and true to his words, he has serially insulted, arrested, harassed, threatened and intimidated the critical stakeholders in the community, just to scare them away from the community so that he would have a field day in achieving his inordinate ambition against the community, which is already dead on arrival.

He revealed how Umuokanumee community had written petition to the Imo State Police Commissioner Danjuma Aboki and the Police Service Commission (PSC).

In the petition to the PSC dated 18th April 2024, with the headline; “Petition over the unprofessional activities of one Inspector Augustine Odidika serving under the Imo State Police Command”, the community, through their lawyers from G.C Nwowu& Associates, reported what it called, “Unprofessional activities of Inspector Augustine Odidika attached to the Imo State Police Command, Owerri”.

The petition to Imo PSC also alleged how Inspector Augustine Odidika, on the 4th of April, 2024, took some youths from Umuokanumee community and engaged youths from Umuochie community in free-for-all fight, where dangerous weapons were freely used.

“He uses teargas at random, to harass and chased away people who have come to farm in their lands. On the 6th of April, 2024, he masterminded another fight which almost resulted in the death of one Mr. Chukwudi Mgbeajuru, he narrowly missed death, and however, he lost one of his fingers to that unrest.”

The petition continued: “The youths of the other community are using the unprofessional conduct of Inspector Augustine Odidika to attack the youths of our client’s community”.

“Our clients fear that the way things are going between the said Inspector Augustine Odidika and the youths of the community, it may occasion loss of lives, hence, the urgent need for redeployement of the said Inspector Augustine Odidika to a reasonable distance place out of South East, so that the youths, who are influenced by him will cease all hostilities in the community at his absence, he has really become a native influence in the community”.

The petition concluded by appealing to the Chairman, Police Service Commission to use his good offices to invoke the power of his exalted office to bear on the matter before it is too late.

In the petition addressed to Imo police Commissioner Danjuma Aboki, with the headline; “Threat to life, forcible entry and acts capable of breaching public peace”, the community, through their lawyer, N.C. Ogbenna Esq narrated the activities of Inspector Augustine Odidika over the land, in connivance with some youths and the detractors of Umuokanumee community to foment trouble.

The petition by Umuokanumee village said further: “Rather than use his office as a security agent, he is now using it against his own people, intimidating members of his own community. We have it on good record, all the voice notes wherein he reeled out his threats against our clients and their family members; at the appropriate time, we shall submit same to the appropriate authority”.

In conclusion, the petition to Imo CP, which was dated 6th April 2024, said: “But the truth remains that there is a limit to human endurance. Our clients cannot perpertually hold the youths from fighting for their rights, hence, this petition. We, therefore, most humbly beseech you, Sir, to invoke the powers of your exalted office to bear on this matter before it is too late.”

It was gathered that on the 10th of May, 2024, police officers from Zone 9 came to effect the arrest of Augustine Odidika Azubuike Ireozor and Jude Odidika, but they resisted arrest, thereby, creating scene. “They went about circulating false information, using online publishers to claim that Imo state government has given them the land, which matter is still at the Supreme Court.

The false publication has given them the impetus to go about jubilating and telling unsuspecting members of the public that the Governor has given them the land that is still subject of litigation at the Apex Court of the land.

“The youths of the two communities that are contesting the land the Supreme Court are alarmed and agitated by the false news, hence, the need to counter same before it gets out of hand,” Dr. Alloysius Ikegwuoha said.

Investigation by the reporter revealed that there was no time Imo State government is supporting any party in the land matter that is at the Supreme Court. It was also gathered that a particular group is dropping the name of Imo state government for selfish goal, as Imo state government cannot do the job of Supreme Court.

“It is a lie, the government knows the law and cannot go against it. The youths of Umuokanumee should leave the government out of this and allow the law to run its full course. That publication is false,” a source who pleaded anonymity said.

When the reporter visited the Imo State Police Command severally, to seek the reaction of the Commissioner of police, DanjumaAboki, he was not on seat but the Command’s PPRO, Henry Okoye, an Assistant Superintendent of Police(ASP) said the police are not involved in land matters as it is a civil matter.

He said Police could only be involved, if such land tussle poses a threat to peace and security of the community. He, however, warned the affected villages and youths, to desist from actions or activities that could threaten peace in the community.