An Enugu State High court has restrained an estate development firm, Private Estate International West Africa Limited, PEIWA, its executive director, Mr Kingsley Eze, among others from further encroaching into ancestral land belonging Obeagu and Amechi Awkunanw autonomous communities, which was named centenary city.
The court also ordered for the immediate release from detention some youths allegedly arrested by the police over trump up charges.
The traditional ruler of Obeagu Awkunanaw, HRH Igwe Mike Nnukwu, the Anyanecheibe III had filed an exparte application seeking among other things to restrain PEIWA and its agents from encroaching, arresting, intimidating, harassing his people until and after the determination of pending litigations before various courts.
Delivery judgement on the motion exparte for the enforcement of their fundamental human rights, Justice C O Ajah barred the respondents, which are the Inspector General of Police, the PEIWA, Kingsley Eze and others from further doing anything on the land in dispute until the matter is determined by the court.
Reacting to the court order, the traditional ruler of Obeagu Awkunanaw, HRH Igwe Mike Nnukwu said it was a victory for all, noting that the people surreptitiously attempted to deceive the police to provide them with protection for the purpose of executing “Consent Judgment” that is being challenged in court already.
He explained that the purported consent judgement being relying upon was being challenged already.
According to the traditional ruler, instead of the respondents waiting for the court, they stealthily moved to deceive the police without letting them know of the other side of the coin.
He thanked the police and the court for responding to the tune of justice for his community, adding that Obegu would have been overrun by people he tagged land grabbers.
The development has sparked celebration across Obegu and Amechi Awkunanw communities, as the people are jubilating over victory and possible end to intimidation, harassment and demolition of their houses in their ancestral land.
A cross section of youths who spoke with our correspondent expressed joy that at last the court and the police were beginning to understand the truth, noting that before now they were brainwashed with deceit and lies.
The Obeagu Awkunanaw community said they had never at any time transferred title of their ancestral land to any person, group or government at any material time, while the management of the centenary city said they had acquired the community land from the government.
These had led to petitions by the affected communities to former and present Enugu state Government, House of Assembly, National Assembly, the police among others in a bid to resolve the claims, all to no avail.
The imbroglio had led to litigations in various courts at all levels and arrest and counter arrests by both parties, leading to the detention of some youths of the communities in different police formations.
Property worth billions of naira belonging to the communities and other innocent property owners who acquired them from both parties were also destroyed by non-state actors.
The communities claimed they never had any land transaction with Mr Kingsley Eze or Private Estate International West Africa Limited as he is from Ezeagu Local government area and does not have boundaries with any of the contending communities.
The monarch recalled that the trouble started in 2008 when an unknown person came and started claiming ownership of the whole community, including his palace and started parading alleged doctored document measuring about 1097 heaters.