● Ferdy Agu
The Onuogba-Nike and Ezza-Nkomoro communities in Enugu East Local Government Area have jointly defended former Minister for Power, Prof. Barth Nnaji, against recent accusations of land grabbing. According to community leaders, Prof. Nnaji is a legitimate investor who acquired land for an auto assembly plant and power generation, and the accusations are baseless. This defense comes in response to media reports and protests suggesting otherwise, following Prof. Nnaji’s efforts to take possession of his land near the Enugu-Abakaliki highway.
Area marked in red on the map shows the portion Onuogba-Nike allowed the squatters to settle in which is not part of Prof Nnaji’s property but instead, they’re trespassing on Prof.’s land.
In a press briefing in Enugu, representatives from both communities condemned the accusations, describing them as ill-intentioned and politically motivated. Chief Emmanuel Ubosi, former President General of Onuogba-Nike, emphasized that the allegations against Prof. Nnaji were propagated by individuals mischaracterizing him for personal gains. “Prof. Nnaji is a man of integrity, and his acquisition of land was done through legitimate channels,” Ubosi remarked.
Ubosi went on to explain that the settlers making the allegations were migrants from Ezza-Agu in Ebonyi State, whom the Onuogba-Nike community had invited to settle on a portion of their land in 1956. “The Ezza-Nkomoro people were given a specific portion of land, and they have no right to claim ownership beyond those boundaries,” he said. According to Ubosi, Prof. Nnaji legally purchased the land from Alinta, a man who bought the land from the Onuogba-Nike community in 1978.
Court judgement affirming that the land belongs to Prof. Nnaji
Elder Nweke Agbom, Vice Chairman of the Ezza-Nkomoro Caretaker Committee, backed Ubosi’s claims. He explained that their ancestors settled in Onuogba-Nike after being invited by the community to help resolve a land dispute with neighboring communities. “There was an agreement between our people and the Onuogba-Nike community, and we were given a portion to live on,” Agbom said. He added that the current unrest is being stirred by a small group, not the entire Ezza-Nkomoro community.
Prof. Nnaji’s legal counsel, Benjamin Nwobodo, also addressed the allegations, stating that the Ezza-Nkomoro people have no legal claim to the land. “The court ruled in 2013 that the land belonged to Alinta, and his heirs transferred it to Prof. Nnaji. The Ezza people had multiple opportunities to challenge this but lost both in the trial court and on appeal,” Nwobodo explained. He stressed that Prof. Nnaji’s acquisition of the land was above board.
PG of Onuogba-Nike community, Ubosi (3rd from right), emphasizing that Ezza Nkomoro are squatters
Chief Ubosi pointed out that despite the court rulings, the Ezza-Nkomoro people have continued to make false claims, even attempting to rename themselves “Nkomoro-Nike” to establish a new identity and distance themselves from their origins. “The court’s judgment is clear, and their attempts to rewrite history will not succeed,” Ubosi added, referring to failed efforts by the settlers to assert new territorial claims.
Nwobodo also clarified that none of the demolished structures on the land belonged to the Ezza-Nkomoro people, and that Prof. Nnaji had extended an offer of negotiation to any affected parties. “Nnaji has been fair and has offered an olive branch to resolve any lingering issues, but the protests are not founded on any legal grounds,” he said.
In the wake of the protests, Prof. Nnaji’s reputation remains strong within both communities. The residents of Onuogba-Nike affirmed their support for his development projects, which they say will bring economic growth to the area. “This auto assembly plant and power generation project are significant for the progress of our community, and we fully support Prof. Nnaji’s vision,” said Ubosi.
At the conclusion of the press briefing, both communities reaffirmed that Prof. Nnaji’s acquisition of the land was done lawfully and urged those perpetuating false narratives to desist from spreading misinformation. “Prof. Nnaji is not a land grabber; he is an investor working for the benefit of the community in particular and Enugu State in general,” Chief Ubosi concluded.
