By Chinelo Ogbodo (Enugu State Correspondent)
The land grabbing case between the people of Umuatugbu Oma, a small community in Nkanu West Local Government Area of Enugu State and the Enugu State Housing Development Corporation (ESHDC), the State Ministry of Lands and Urban Development, resumed on Monday, May 19, 2025 at the Enugu State High Court presided over by his Lordship, Justice Ajah.
The plaintiff in the case, the Umuatugbu Oma community, is sueing the defendant, the Enugu State Government and it's Housing Development agencies including the State Ministry of Lands and Urban Development, for forcefully taking over its hectares of ancestral lands located at Offiaukwu for an alleged estate project development.
The resumed hearing of the case followed a breakdown of request for an OUT-OF-COURT settlement made during the last sitting held on March 4, 2025 by the defence counsel for ESHDC , Bar Ikechukwu Onuoma (SAN. He noted that his clients made mistakes by acquiring the land in dispute without due process.
Onuoma's request was however granted by the court and the case adjourned till May 19 for a feedback to the court on the outcome of the settlement.
At the Monday's hearing, counsel for the plaintiff, the Umuatugbu Oma people, Chief Fidelis Mbadugha (SAN), informed the court that there was never an approach to him by the defence counsel, Bar Ikechukwu Onuoma (SAN) with any proposal on how to settle the matter out of court as earlier requested. He, however, prayed the court to continue with the case.
The defence counsel, Barr. Onuoma (SAN), in his reaction admitted that he was still on the matter and therefore have not given up on his proposal to settle the case out of court. Equally, he pointed out that another family, Umuaniangene, which is from the same Umuatugbu Oma, had instituted a similar case against his clients on the same matter, and appealed that the the two separate actions should be consolidated or merged as one.
Responding, counsel for Umuaniangene, Barr Okolo Agu Esq, objected and maintained that his client will continue to pursue their case separately. This was against the advice of the presiding judge, his Lordship justice Aja, who, at this juncture, agreed with the request of the two leading counsels of both the plaintiff and the defendants to visit the disputed land at Umuatugbu Oma to find out the state of the allegation that work is still on going at the disputed land.
At this juncture, the case was adjusted till July 22, 2025 for further hearing.
It will be recalled that during the last siting on March 4, 2025 in which the defence counsel, Barr Ikechukwu Onuoma (SAN) requested for settlement out of court, the people of Umuatugbu Oma were amazed when they were served with a notice from the State Commissioner for Lands and Urban development, Barr Chimaobi Patrick Okorie Esq, advising all the affected families in the disputed land at Offiaukwu to come up for settlement/compensation.
In the letter titled "Notice of Acquisition" dated February 13, 2025 , the Commissioner, in the notice, stated that: "Notice is hereby given to the people of Umuatugbu Oma, Akegbe Ugwu in Nkanu West Local Government Area, Enugu State and other members of the public deemed to be holders of Rights of Occupancy over the contentious land which is approximately 25.03 hecteres, that the Executive governor of Enugu State of Nigeria in exercise of powers confered on him by the land act of 1978 and all other powers enabling him, on behalf of the people of the state, acquired the ancestral land in the overiding public interest and the right of occupancy over and in the piece or parcel of land aforesaid ".
While this notice came to all concerned as a surprise, many were confused as to whether such development was the result of the out- of-court settlement the lead counsel for the defendants, Barr Ikechukwu Onuoma (SAN), requested during the last siting of the court on the case.
Confused that the land use act which the Commissioner for Lands and Urban Development quoted, however stated that land so acquired by the governor must be in public interest. Many equally wondered how the land at Offiaukwu in Umuatugbu Oma that was for private housing developers will turn round to be sold to the highest bidders.
Many cited the case of Rangers Estate at the same Umuatugbu oma which was acquired by the government in the same process but was now sold to private individuals who in turn today are selling same to the highest bidders in a business transaction.
Afraid that, the acquisition of Offiaukwu land will turn out to be like the Rangers Estate. Was that why the people of Umuatugbu Oma, late last year, dragged the Enugu State Government and their Housing Agency, (ESHDC) and the State Ministry of Lands and Urban Development to court over their brute use of force to grab the land of the community with some unknown land grabbers in Umuatugbuoma? NNL. "
