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Enugu Community: Bloodbath imminent as traditional ruler plans forceful take over of ancestral land

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with additional reports by Daberechi Uwajie and Lawrence Awah

Developing story…

Despite the lingering Oruku crisis, Enugu State has not been on the list of states with restive and hostile communities due to the peaceful nature and style of governance of the state by the Governor, Rt. Hon Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, but this is about to change as a traditional ruler of one of the communities in the state who is alleged to be a terror to the people as well as a land grabber, is said to have perfected plans to unleash mayhem and forcefully sack some members of the community from their ancestral habitat and take over their communal land.

Owo is an agrarian town in Nkanu East Local Government Area, LGA,
of Enugu state which entirely migrated from Ugbene in Enugu East Local Government Area, over 200 years ago to the present location. The town comprises of six villages namely:
Ashishi, Ohani, Ishiegu, Ndiagu, Ogere, and
Emene.

There are other settlements which formerly were part of the main villages, they are Ejaogbo, Mbulu, Ekeagu, Obegu ishiagu, Obegu Emene, and Obegu Ohani. These now make up the present Mbulu Owo autonomous community that was created in 2006 by the Governor Chimaroke Nnamani administration. The traditional ruler of Mbulu Owo is HRH Igwe Okeke Arum who has become a terror and thorn in the flesh of the people of a part of Owo community.

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In an exclusive chat with GMTNews, Nichodemus Mbah described Owo people from various villages as peace loving and egalitarian. He said “Owo has personalities that are making meaningful contributions to the society from Nkanu East LGA, to Enugu State and beyond. They include but not limited to Chief Rt. Hon. Paul Nnajiofor, representing Nkanu East State Constituency at the Enugu State House of Assembly, Barr. Peter Mbah, former Chief of Staff to former Governor of Enugu State, successful businessman and a philanthropist.

“Owo as an agrarian community has about 82% of the population as farmers and every village has their land area for farming or economic activities.

“Ashishi – has from Eke to Ek’egu as their area of economic activities (farming) etc.

“Emene – has their own area that stretches till Abaka and around Abadara and Emene’gu.

“Ohani – Egu (Agu) Ohani to Ugbene where Owo migrated from, including the area sold to Fr. Ede.

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“Ogere – has theirs stretched to Amezo as well as the part given to Fr. Ede.

“Ishiegu (Ishiagu) – is stretched out through Mbulu Ishiagu to N’ude

“Ndegu (Ndiagu) – is Mgbeje and Ebo’uziza.”

Since every village in Owo migrated to their present places of habitat over 200 years ago, “we have been living peacefully, with one another, carry-on our economic activities until early this month of June 2021, when Igwe Okeke Arum declared unprovoked attack on our people of Ndiagu by invading our farmland with people suspected to be thugs from Ashishi. On several occasions, he has sent the hatchet men armed with dangerous weapons to trespase into the farms of our people of Ndiagu. Some of his victims are Mr. Ogochukwu Onuh, Philomena Ogbu and Christopher Njoku to mention but a few. These people’s farms were at various occasions invaded and crops in the farms damaged.”

Igwe Okeke Arum

“The latest being that he has forcefully, with the aid of his armed thugs once again trespassed into our farmland, and started to erect building on the land, despite the fact that the people of Owo including elders have recently sued for peace in a meeting held on 24th June 2021, at Obodoeze, Ohani Owo.

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“It is important to note and I reiterate that the entire Owo migrated to our various present locations, dating back more than two centuries, and we of Ndiagu Owo have been farming and carrying on our economic activities on our land, at Mgbeje and Ebo’uziza without any conflict with anyone until recently that Igwe Okeke Arum whom we do not have boundaries with his autonomous community, vowed to exterminate our people so as to sieze our farmland to himself and his cohorts. But we are telling him that he cannot.”

The peace loving people of Ndiagu Owo while calling on His Excellency, Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi to look in the matter with a view to resolving it, are reported to have also reached out to the Senator representing their Senatorial District, Enugu East, His Excellency Dr Chimaroke Nnamani, and Distinguished Prof. Bart Nnaji, former Minister of Power, who hails from their LGA, Nkanu East, to intervene.

“We passionately call on Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi to stop Igwe Okeke Arum from invading our land.

“We want to believe that our sons, Mr. Peter Mbah and Hon. Paul Nnajiofor are not the forces emboldening Igwe Arum in his nefarious actions. We want to be proven otherwise.” Mbah concluded.

Igwe Arum could not be reached on phone when our reporter wanted to to get his side of the story.

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3 Comments

3 Comments

  1. Done

    June 29, 2021 at 5:09 pm

    If the people in OWO community can not settle the case and allow each and everyone to live how are they going to rule a state if i may ask? Their Man is warming up for Enugu State governor and they still allow this kind news to go online, the Man should call for peace because his brothers name is the one mentioned here, HRH OKEKE ARUM, from the same community. Please let peace be into u people, there’s no gain for war is either u die or ur relatives.

    • Admin

      July 14, 2021 at 8:55 am

      A welcome response, this is.

  2. MarilynMop

    August 9, 2021 at 6:38 am

    I congratulate, you were visited with simply magnificent idea

    attention
    girl humiliates man

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NiMet Weather Update: Dust Haze and Rain Expected from Monday

NiMet weather update predicts three days of dust haze and rain across Nigeria from Monday to Wednesday, warning of possible flooding in parts of the South.

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NiMet Weather Update: Dust Haze and Rain Expected from Monday

October 27, 2025 | Abuja

The NiMet weather update has predicted a mix of dust haze and rainfall across various parts of Nigeria from Monday to Wednesday, urging residents to remain alert and take necessary precautions.

In its NiMet weather update released on Sunday in Abuja, the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) projected slight dust haze with good visibility over Borno, Zamfara, northern Kaduna, Yobe, Jigawa, Kano, and Katsina States on Monday.

According to the agency, isolated thunderstorms and light rain are also expected in Taraba and Adamawa States during the afternoon and evening hours, while sunny skies with patches of clouds are likely in the central region, including FCT, Nasarawa, and Kogi, with chances of late-day rain.

The NiMet weather update further noted cloudy conditions in the southern region on Monday morning, followed by moderate rainfall and thunderstorms later in the day over Imo, Abia, Ebonyi, Ondo, Lagos, Ekiti, Ogun, Delta, and Rivers States.

For Tuesday, the NiMet weather forecast indicated continued slight dust haze in the north and possible thunderstorms in Taraba and Adamawa, while the central region will witness sunny skies with moderate rain in FCT, Nasarawa, and Kogi.

Across the south, moderate rainfall is anticipated in Rivers, Cross River, Ebonyi, and Akwa Ibom in the morning, with increasing intensity later in the day. NiMet also warned of possible flooding in parts of Akwa Ibom, Rivers, and Cross River, urging authorities to activate emergency response measures.

By Wednesday, the NiMet weather update anticipates sunny skies across the north, with isolated thunderstorms in Taraba, and light rain in the central region, especially Kogi and the FCT. The southern states will start cloudy, transitioning to thunderstorms and moderate rain later in the day.

NiMet also cautioned against potential flash floods and advised motorists to drive carefully in wet conditions. The agency urged persons with asthma or respiratory issues to minimize outdoor exposure due to dust particles in northern airspace.

It further advised airline operators to obtain airport-specific weather reports for flight planning and encouraged the public to stay informed through NiMet’s website and official communication channels. GMTNewsng

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Wike in Dubai for 2025 Asia Pacific Cities Summit and Mayors’ Forum

Wike in Dubai for the 2025 Asia Pacific Cities Summit and Mayors’ Forum to engage world city leaders on sustainable urban development and global cooperation.

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Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory

Wike in Dubai for 2025 Asia Pacific Cities Summit and Mayors’ Forum

Date: Oct. 27, 2025

The Wike in Dubai visit marks Nigeria’s strong representation at the 2025 Asia Pacific Cities Summit and Mayors’ Forum (2025APCS), as the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Nyesom Wike, arrived in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) this week for the high-level international engagement.

According to a statement by the Minister’s Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications and Social Media, Lere Olayinka, on Monday, Wike in Dubai was warmly received by the Consul General of Nigeria, Ambassador Zayyanu Ibrahim, alongside officials of the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) who arrived ahead of him.

During the summit, Wike in Dubai will lead a discussion panel on Tuesday, where he will field questions about the Federal Capital Territory, exchange ideas with other Mayors of capital cities, and explore opportunities for sustainable city partnerships.

The 2025 Asia Pacific Cities Summit and Mayors’ Forum seeks to create long-term value for cities and businesses across Asia Pacific, the Middle East, Africa, and South Asia, promoting trade, innovation, and investment opportunities.

An initiative of the Brisbane City Council, Australia, the forum is recognized as one of the world’s most diverse gatherings of mayors, city leaders, business executives, and young professionals committed to shaping the future of global urban development.

The 2025APCS theme, “Collaborate, Inspire, Transform,” aligns with global efforts to build smart, resilient, and sustainable cities. Sub-themes such as “Centres of Connection” highlight the role of transportation networks and urban innovation in improving quality of life.

Through his participation, Wike in Dubai underscores Nigeria’s commitment to engaging the global urban community in forward-thinking conversations about development, governance, and sustainability. GMTNewsng

https://fcta.gov.ng/

 

Dubai (UAE) – official city portal: https://www.dubai.ae/

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NDA Shooting Exercise 2025: Academy Sends Strong Warning to Kaduna Residents

The Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA) has warned residents of Afaka, Kauya, and Mando to stay clear of its open range during the NDA shooting exercise scheduled from Oct. 28 to Nov. 7, 2025, in Kaduna.

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NDA logo

NDA shooting exercise: Academy warns Kaduna residents

October 27, 2025 | Kaduna

The NDA shooting exercise scheduled by the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA) has prompted a public warning to residents of Afaka, Kauya, Tsamiya, and Mando in Kaduna State to steer clear of its open range from Tuesday, October 28 to November 7, 2025.

According to a statement released by the NDA Public Relations Officer, Major Mohammed Maidawa, the NDA shooting exercise is part of the Range Management Package for cadets of the 73 Regular Course (Army), aimed at improving their combat readiness. http://nda.org.ng

“The NDA wishes to inform the general public, especially inhabitants of Mando, Tsamiya, Kauya, and Afaka general area, that it will be conducting its Range Management Package NDA shooting exercise for cadets,” the statement read.

Maj. Maidawa assured residents that all safety precautions have been taken for the smooth and secure conduct of the NDA shooting exercise, while urging the public to cooperate with military personnel during the period.

The statement added that the Commandant, Maj.-Gen. Abdul Ibrahim, conveys his appreciation to the host communities for their understanding and continued support.

The Nigerian Defence Academy, based in Kaduna, is Nigeria’s foremost military training institution, responsible for producing officers for the Army, Navy, and Air Force. The shooting exercise forms part of its continuous efforts to enhance professionalism and discipline among its cadets. GMTNewsng

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