Enugu community urges Nigerian Army to obey court judgement on disputed land
Mbulu-Owo and Owo autonomous communities in Nkanu East Local government area, Enugu State have asked the Nigeria Army to obey court order asking it to vacate and remove truckloads of soldiers from a disputed land in the area.
The disputed land share common boundary between the communities and Akpoga-Nike, Nkwubor Nike, Onuogba Nike, all in Enugu East local government area on one side, Amechi Idodo, Oruku, Ubahu (all in Nkanu East) and Umuhuaji, Nkalagu and Ama-Azu communities in Ishielu, Ebonyi State
Justice C.O Ajah of the Enugu State High Court had on May 20, this year, restrained the Nigerian Army, Defence and Enugu State government from entering the land pending the determination of the pending suit.
He had adjourned the substantive suit for pretrial conference to September 29, this year.
Despite the order, the Governor Peter Mbah’s kinsmen, at the weekend, alleged that officials of the Nigerian Army had started “patrolling and surveying the disputed area”.
Video has gone viral in the social media, showing armed soldiers patrolling the area.
The communities in a statement by their Secretary, Ability Chukwuemeka Mbah, urged the Military to obey the court order in the interest of peace.
He stated that the presence of the army on the disputed area was now creating fear and apprehension in the people of the area.
It was gathered that the land had been in dispute between the Nigeria Army and the communities since 2016.
