Nsulu communities in Isiala Ngwa North Local Government Area of Abia State, host to the proposed Abia Airport project have asked the state government to henceforth, stop the enumeration going on in the communities.
This came as the state High Court sitting in Okpualangwa, which had ordered the state government to stay action on the land pending the hearing and determination of the suit by the land owners challenging government plan to forcefully take over their land was further adjourned till March 25, 2025.
The communities include Ikputu, Umuikeocha Umuode, Umuezeukwu, Umuogu, Uwaomaikoo Umuosu, Umuata Umuosu, Umule Umuosu, Okpulorukwu Umuosu, Umuogele Umuosu, Umuodeche, Ubaha, Umuala, Umuezenta Nbawsi, Mbubo, and Umuomainta Nbawsi.
Recall that Justice Enyinnaya Okezie, had on December 20, 2024, ordered a stay in action on the part of the state government from taking any step on the land.
At the resumed hearing in Suit No. HIN/62/2024, on February 18, 2025, counsel to the Nsulu Host Communities, Chukwuemeka Nwaogu expressed gratitude of the Nsulu people on the order of the court, which he said, had brought sanity as parties have started the process of discussion, and thanked the defendants (Abia state government) for abiding by the pronouncement of the court as the parties were discussing with the people; Abia state government on one side and the host communities, led by Dr. Max Nduaguibe on the other side.
“I may not report in reality the position of the peaceful settlement but it’s in progress and ongoing,” Nwaogu told the court.
Responding, the Abia state government representative, Ngozi Onwugbufor told the court that, the issue of negotiation was not what he would go into details because, he was not properly informed on the position but said: “If negotiation is going-on, I will appreciate the peaceful negotiation.”
At that juncture, Justice Okezie adjourned the matter to the March 25, 2025, for report on the progress of negotiations.
Meanwhile, reacting, the Village Head of the Host Communities and Land Owners, Engr. Ikechukwu Uche pointed out that they have observed with dismay that despite the subsisting court order, the state government has continued activities on the land, including cutting paths and enumeration, when agreements had not reached, and the actual size of the land not yet known by the land owners, more so when the court order restrained them from doing all that.
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“It’s only when you know the size of the land that enumeration of land owners within that catchment area can start, but they are always quick to take actions that can cause breach of peace.”
Engr. Uche, therefore, called on the Abia state government, the Chief of Staff to the Governor, Pastor Caleb Ajagba and the Special Assistant to the Governor on Lands and Housing, who doubles as the Project Coordinator of the Abia Airport Project, Pastor Okorougo Aji to follow due process.
He insisted that to know the actual size of the land and it’s map officially communicated to them, will give the host communities the latitude to engage their own private surveyor to ascertain the size as claimed by the government.
“This is the first step to take, before enumeration,” he added.
He therefore, asked the Abia State government team to stop the enumeration until the actual size of the land was determined.
He admonished the state government to uphold the sanctity of the judiciary by halting all engagements concerning the land until the official release of the land mass by the government and the endorsement of the land mass by Nsulu people through negotiations, and not by force.
