The people of Uratta communities in Owerri North council of Imo State have called on the state governor, Sen. Hope Uzodimma to investigate and stop what they described as an unlawful and forceful possession of their ancestral lands by government agents and land grabbers.

The people who spoke under the aegis of Uratta Development Association, UDA said there was an existing court order restrainting further encroachment in their lands and urged those involved to respect the injuction.

In a press conference held in Owerri, yesterday, the UDA President and Secretary, Chief Stanley Ukaga and Barr. Ezekiel Oparah warned that “if the state government allows these land grabbers to continue in their activities unchecked, it could lead eventually to the breakdown of law and order in future.”

Ukaga said, “the areas currently being affected are in Orji Uratta, Owaelu Uratta and Owalla Uratta. It’s also rumored that their illegitimate activity is planned to extend to Umunahu Uratta.

“Truthfully, having conceded the numerous hectares of land to the State government, we have reserved the remaining ones for our farms, children and grandchildren. We do not have any land remaining apart from these and have none again to cede.”

Ukaga continued, “the lands acquired by the past government of H.E Sen. Rochas Okorocha for which a tripartite MOU was signed, between the then State government, the Amata community and the Orji community is subsisting and clearly delineated and demarcated in the MOU.

“Let these people if indeed they are from the government and working with the full knowledge and authority of His Excellency Sen. Hope Uzodinma, confine themselves to the areas as spelt out in the existing MOU.

“We advise the land grabbers to stop forthwith from trespassing into our peoples lands and farms. We also warn all those who may be tempted to buy these lands that the matter is in court and court injunctions have been obtained restraining further activities on these lands.”

“The entire Uratta Clan condemns these acts in their entirety and implores His Excellency to call the land grabbers to order.

“We perceive these land grabbers as agents of destabilisation, who are perfecting their plans to create bad blood between us and His Excellency. We urge His Excellency to set up a fact finding Committee to ascertain their real plans.” Oparah added. (The Guardian)

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