ENUGU, September 27, 2025 – The Enugu State Police Command has begun taking inventory of demolished structures in Nkomoro Onuogba Nike Community, Enugu East Local Government Area, following renewed tensions over a protracted land dispute between the community and former Minister of Power, Prof. Bart Nnaji.
The police action comes after petitions from the Nkomoro Onuogba community, alleging that more than 150 houses were demolished by agents of Prof. Nnaji in September 2024 despite pending litigation over the land.
Community Raises Alarm
The President-General of the community, Okechukwu Nyele, told newsmen that the police visit was necessary to document the extent of damage and prevent further demolition until the court delivers judgment.
“The police are here today to take inventory of damage done to us by Nnaji who claimed that he bought the land from Alinta. This is because we wrote to police that the matter was in court and Nnaji is demolishing our houses,” Nyele said.
He alleged that the community has occupied the land for nearly 70 years, describing the demolition as a misuse of power and influence.
“We have lived there for almost 70 years and Nnaji claimed to have bought the land when the suit about ownership of the land between us and Alinta is pending in court. Alinta sold the land to Nnaji because he (Nnaji) has resources and power to chase us away from our ancestral land,” he said.
Nyele added that when the first demolition exercise occurred last year, the police ordered both parties to maintain peace pending judicial determination.
“Now, we started hearing that he wants to come again to the land. That is why we went back to the police to stop it. He should wait for court to give its judgment and shouldn’t take laws into his hands because he is not a joinder in the case,” he said.
Historical Roots of the Dispute
The Nkomoro Onuogba community traces its claim to the land back to the 1950s. According to Rev. Stephen Itumo, a community representative, their forefathers migrated from Ezza in Ebonyi State after being invited to assist Onuogba Nike people in a boundary conflict.
“Nkwubor people, a neighbouring community, had land dispute with Onuogba Nike around 1958 that made Onuogba Nike people to approach my people in Ebonyi State who were warriors to help them defeat Nkwubor people. We came, fought the war and defeated their enemies which made them to settle our forefathers with this land after a written agreement and oath taking,” Itumo recounted.
The community insists that this arrangement, cemented by oral tradition and written agreement, granted them permanent rights to the land.
Prof. Nnaji’s Counter-Claim
Prof. Bart Nnaji, however, strongly disputes these claims. Speaking through his lawyer, Benjamin Nwobodo, the former Minister of Power argued that the land was lawfully purchased and transferred through legitimate channels.
He explained that the land originally belonged to Onuogba Nike community, not Nkomoro Onuogba, and that in 1977, Titus Alinta bought the land from Onuogba. Nnaji later acquired it from Alinta in 2005.
“In 2005, I bought the parcel of land from Mr. Alinta who had purchased the land from Onuogba Community in 1977. I acquired the land to build a manufacturing industry and power project,” he said.
According to him, Alinta faced opposition from the Nkomoro community as far back as the 1980s, prompting legal battles that culminated in a 2004 High Court judgment and a 2005 Court of Appeal ruling in favour of Alinta.
Legal Judgements and Court Battles
Prof. Nnaji maintained that the Nkomoro community lost its appeals and never obtained a stay of execution.
“The court looked at it and saw that there was no merit in their appeal for a stay of execution and the court dismissed the appeal (in 2011),” he explained.
He further accused the Nkomoro community of encroaching on the land, selling portions to third parties, and frustrating his development plans.
“I offered to pay N1 million each to those who illegally purchased parts of the land from the Nkomoro people, but they declined, which prompted me to move into the land to take possession of it. The action is not illegal because it is in compliance with the court ruling,” Nnaji stated.
He insisted that the portion under contention was outside the area originally given to the Ezza settlers in the 1950s and therefore remains legally his property.
Police Intervention and Next Steps
The police inventory is seen as a step to de-escalate tensions while awaiting the court’s final ruling. Security sources confirmed that officers were directed to maintain peace and prevent clashes as both parties prepare for further legal arguments.
The dispute highlights the complexity of land ownership in Enugu State, where historical settlements, traditional agreements, and modern legal claims often collide. Stakeholders are now urging restraint from both sides to avoid escalation while the courts resolve the matter. GMTNewsng
