Land encroachment : NSCDC arrests one, beats others in Anambra community
By Chizzy Ezeaku, Onitsha
The renewed arrest of Okwesi family land owners in Awkuzu, Oyi local Government area, Anambra state, is now a source of worry as a team of Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, from Ministry of Lands, Awka, reportedly stormed the land called Nkpan land, beat up land owners working on the land and whisked away one of the community vigilante operatives guarding the property.
It was gathered that the renewed attack and arrest which sparked wide spread condemnation, has alleged resulted in residents fleeing the community for their dear lives.
Expressing dismay over the latest ugly incident caused by security operatives, in which guns were indiscriminately shot as intimidation, the chairman of the family land, Charles Okwesi, disclosed that since the family petitioned to the Inspector General of Police, IGP, on encroachment on their land by a real Estate company (pineleaf ), and arrests made few months ego, the company stopped its encroachment.
"We are surprised that as surveyors are working on the land today, NSCDC stormed the land, beat up our people working on the land and arrested a local vigilante operative guarding the land. Even if they later released him after taking him to Awka, do they have power to mediate on land issue.
"We call on the Inspector General of Police, Governor Chukwuma Soludo and good spirited individuals to come to our rescue as the CEO of Pineleaf Estate, Bishop Onyeka Nzekwesi, has come back to continue his encroachment on our land.
"He labeles us kidnappers and unknown gunmen, it is false, we are victims of wealthy individuals who are trying to forcibly take over our land. Before now he used the Rapid Response Squad (RRS), formerly the disbanded Akwuzu SARS, to arrest us on our own land, just to take control of our ancestoral land.
Bishop Nzekwesi had earlier when contacted denied all allegations leveled against him disclosing that the Okwesi family was part of the land deal but that the family turned around to use another family to make demands on him when he had already given them monetary settlement.
On alleged security threat, Nzekwesi further clarified that drafting security into the land was the sole arrangement of the concerned villagers who decided to protect their own against invaders and to prevent serious security breach.
The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) for Anambra State Command, SP Ikenga Tochukwu confirmed that police made some arrests then following a petition written against the invaders but those arrested have been released on bail.
