The ownership of the
land upon which the prison housing Boko Haram suspects are kept are causing communal clash between Ekwulobia and Ezinifite both in Aguata Local
Government Area of Anambra State of eastern part of Nigeria
Just two months after the dreaded Boko Haram prisoners were transferred to the prison, popularly known as Ekwulobia prison, the Ezinifite – Aguata community, on Wednesday, told reporters that the land was given to the federal government in 1983, freely without demanding for compensation.
According to the traditional ruler of Ezinifite Aguata, Igwe Bob Vincent Orji, said, “What happened was that during the regime of the Igwe that I succeeded, Ezeugo 11 of Ezinifite, he was so close to the then vice president, Dr. Alex Ekwueme, who approached him to show him land that an 80-bedroom medium security prison would be built.
“Ekwueme did not go to Ekwulobia because of an alleged face-off between Okoh town where the then vice president comes from and Ekwulobia people.
“The then Igwe consulted the villagers, and they willfully donated that land to the federal government without collecting any payment as compensation from anybody. That was around 1982 and 1983.
“I still remember that in the year 1960, I attended match past at Aguata field which was made up of now Aguata, Orumba North and Orumba South Local Government Areas, and when we got to a structure called Ekpe, which is like a long wall, we immediately know that we have entered Ekwulobia. But that boundary mark has been destroyed.”
Reacting to his claims, Igwe Emmanuel Onyeneke of Ekwulobia town, countered that the Ezinifite Aguata people are only being clever by half, adding that the land never belonged to the community.
“Eziagulu donated the land on behalf of our town, Ekwulobia and the prison is addressed as Ekwulobia prison. But I am surprised that my colleague and fellow traditional ruler from Ezinifite Aguata is now going about saying that the land belongs to them.
“The claims of Ezinifite people that they donated the land freely without compensation are funny. This is because we the Ekwulobia people were paid compensation of N137, 000 by the federal government and we wondered how those who donated land freely were not paid.
“There is the need for as to find out if this land is the same land that is housing Ekwulobia prison that Ezinifite people are talking about or is there any other land handed over to the federal government. But certainly it is not this land where the minimum security prison was built.
“The problem is that the matter is being handled by the Aguata Council of Traditional Rulers and they asked me not to blow up or overheat the issue. Secondly, had it been that my secretary is not ill and he has the keys to my office, I would have shown you those papers. But at the appointed time we shall show the world our documents for them to know” Igwe Onyeneke said.
If you have gone through the article let us know your opinion ,especially if your from both communities Ekwulobia and Ezinifite.So that we can know who is the true owner of the land.......
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| IGWE BOB VINCENT ORJI |
Just two months after the dreaded Boko Haram prisoners were transferred to the prison, popularly known as Ekwulobia prison, the Ezinifite – Aguata community, on Wednesday, told reporters that the land was given to the federal government in 1983, freely without demanding for compensation.
According to the traditional ruler of Ezinifite Aguata, Igwe Bob Vincent Orji, said, “What happened was that during the regime of the Igwe that I succeeded, Ezeugo 11 of Ezinifite, he was so close to the then vice president, Dr. Alex Ekwueme, who approached him to show him land that an 80-bedroom medium security prison would be built.
“Ekwueme did not go to Ekwulobia because of an alleged face-off between Okoh town where the then vice president comes from and Ekwulobia people.
“The then Igwe consulted the villagers, and they willfully donated that land to the federal government without collecting any payment as compensation from anybody. That was around 1982 and 1983.
“I still remember that in the year 1960, I attended match past at Aguata field which was made up of now Aguata, Orumba North and Orumba South Local Government Areas, and when we got to a structure called Ekpe, which is like a long wall, we immediately know that we have entered Ekwulobia. But that boundary mark has been destroyed.”
Reacting to his claims, Igwe Emmanuel Onyeneke of Ekwulobia town, countered that the Ezinifite Aguata people are only being clever by half, adding that the land never belonged to the community.
“Eziagulu donated the land on behalf of our town, Ekwulobia and the prison is addressed as Ekwulobia prison. But I am surprised that my colleague and fellow traditional ruler from Ezinifite Aguata is now going about saying that the land belongs to them.
“The claims of Ezinifite people that they donated the land freely without compensation are funny. This is because we the Ekwulobia people were paid compensation of N137, 000 by the federal government and we wondered how those who donated land freely were not paid.
“There is the need for as to find out if this land is the same land that is housing Ekwulobia prison that Ezinifite people are talking about or is there any other land handed over to the federal government. But certainly it is not this land where the minimum security prison was built.
“The problem is that the matter is being handled by the Aguata Council of Traditional Rulers and they asked me not to blow up or overheat the issue. Secondly, had it been that my secretary is not ill and he has the keys to my office, I would have shown you those papers. But at the appointed time we shall show the world our documents for them to know” Igwe Onyeneke said.
If you have gone through the article let us know your opinion ,especially if your from both communities Ekwulobia and Ezinifite.So that we can know who is the true owner of the land.......
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