Open Letter To The Governor Of Imo State, Distinguished Senator Hope Uzodimma.
Unjust, Harassment And Intimidation Of The People Of Umuoke Umuagiriga, Uborji, Okuku, Owerri West LGA, Imo State (Urgent Need To Stop The Honorable Commissioner Of Lands From Forcefully Taking A Land That Was Freely And Voluntarily Donated To The State Government).
We are constrained to write you this letter at this time knowing you are busy with the electioneering campaign for a return of second tenure and we assure you that our community is fully behind you to actualize this.
We, the people of Umuoke Umuagiriga, Uborji, Okuku, Owerri West LGA freely and willingly donated 300 Hectares of our land to the Imo State Government to enhance the fast development of our land in particular and the state in general. The Ministry of Lands, Surveys and Physical Planning was supposed to make certain statutory and traditional payments to our community before taking possession of the land, but they failed to do so. They also refused to sign a Memorandum of Understanding with us to show the kind of development they intend to do in our land and other benefits that may accrue to us.
As part of reciprocity for our kind gesture and the local content principle, they are supposed to contract one of our indigenes who has capacity to do the clearing of the land for them as part of the benefits accruable to us, but they also failed to do this. Rather they hurriedly applied to the Commissioner of Police who innocently approved the use of Tiger Base-Anti Kidnapping Unit to supervise the clearing of a land they have not done the needful with the land owners. They are now using the presence of the Police as coverage to maltreat and deprive us of our rights. Ever since, the introduction of the Tiger Base to our land has brought more harm than good as our people have variously suffered unjust torment, harassment and intimidation on trumped up charges. The names of most of our youths have been domiciled with the Tiger Base as if they are criminals and Tiger Base often reminds them they would be arrested any time soon as way to cow them down to submission. The area has been cordoned off and our people, even our Land Committee Members are not allowed to approach the area to know what is happening.
They have now turned our gracious free donation to a sort of ‘"Forceful Land Grabbing". Yes, we initially resisted the Ministry of Lands, Surveys and Physical Planning sometime around June/July 2023 from taking possession of the land because we did not know at that time that our elders had donated the land. It was based on this initial agitation that the Commissioner of Police drafted the Tiger Base to our community. Having clearly understood the situation, we started cooperating with the Ministry to actualize same, but the Tiger Base is still acting on the old instruction of the Commissioner of Police.
Kindly note Sir, that we willingly and voluntarily donated this land (not land acquisition) to the State Government and we do not have any intention to renege on it, but the Ministry should do all the needful, quietly and peacefully clear, take possession and develop same without militarization of our peaceful Community.
This is election period and all hands should be on deck to support our Governor rather than distract him with these issues. For instance, the following rights are still outstanding:
1. Balance of the "Ego Omenala rite".
2. Financial Compensation for economic crops/trees.
3. A memorandum of Understanding duly signed by parties clearly stating what the land will be used for.
4. The Ministry should concentrate on the area donated and not encroach into our free area.
5. The Ministry should come for proper survey and delineation of the area donated (with the guidance of our elders) and stop using strangers or youths who do not know our boundaries.
6. All the surveys done so far are neither with the knowledge/guidance of our elders or the Surveyor General of the State.
We therefore reject them. As part of our Local Content Law and as a reciprocity for our kind gesture, the Ministry should contract one of our indigenes to clear the land seamlessly for the Ministry rather than contract it out to outsiders. Or is the Ministry likely to lose anything by contracting us to clear the land ? Simple reciprocity of our kind gesture is needed.
He who owns the land knows how to clear it better and faster.
Take note Sir, that we are not insisting that these our rights and demands must be met now, rather, we need a clearer promise and understanding of what should come to us at so so and so time. Once this promise is clearly made, they can commence work at site.
For over 200 years, our Community has been peaceful without any history of riot and other social vices, so there is no need to send the Tiger Base to enforce the clearing of a land that was donated freely and voluntarily to government. We are not withdrawing our donation, but we are asking for our rights. They are only using the Police and Tiger Base to intimidate us and take our land without doing the needful.
We therefore wish to appeal to our Distinguished Governor to instruct the Ministry of Lands,
Surveys and Physical Planning to act gently and softly with us and to innocently address the issues at stake rather than display a posture of a forceful land grabber. Our Community had resolved to block our roads and resist the Ministry and their agents (which took effect since Tuesday 25th October, 2023) from further entering and clearing the land until the Ministry engages us in a discussion.
We were delighted when the Honourable Commissioner of Lands sent us a letter dated 25th October 2023 inviting our leaders of Umuoke Umuagiriga Land Owners Association for a meeting on 27th October 2023, but suddenly he cancelled the meeting and still chose to deploy the Tiger Base to our land on 26th October 2023.
WE HEREBY APPEAL TO OUR AMIABLE GOVERNOR TO COME TO OUR AID TO AVOID CLASHING WITH OUR PEOPLE SO THAT PEACE CAN REIGN DURING THIS ELECTION TIME. OUR VOTES FOR YOU HAVE ALREADY BEEN COUNTED AND WE SHALL DELIVER IT WHOLLY ON 11th November.
As we thank you for your anticipated fatherly intervention, kindly accept the assurances of our high regards.
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