Landowners in Nsulu in Isialangwa North Local Government Area of Abia State have raised the alarm over the clearing of the access road to the runway of the proposed Abia Airport despite a court order.

An Abia State High Court in Okpuala Ngwa had ordered the state government to stay further action on its plan to seize over 1,025 hectares of land belonging to some Nsulu communities pending the hearing and determination of their suit.

Justice Enyinnaya Okezie made the order last December 20 in a suit by the communities? representatives.

But the landowners said the government had moved bulldozers to the site.

They called on Nigerians and people of goodwill to prevail on the state authorities to subject themselves to the rule of law.

Of more concern to the communities is that no agreement has been reached on the actual land size being taken.

Besides, they said technical details of the impact on the people?s health and survival by way of Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) have not been drawn up. The Nsulu Stakeholders Forum (NSF), warned that investors would not come to a state where the government shows total disregard for a court order.

Its convener, Mazi Chigoram, said: ?If the Otti government shows total disregard and disrespect to such an order, what would a private investor feel?

?Nobody wants to do business in a place where court rulings have no value.

?We call on the Abia State government to respect the stay order granted by its court in respect of the proposed Nsulu land acquisition.

?The airport project is not running away. We know it is a project approved by the Tinubu administration.

?Otti should not make the Federal Government look bad for approving the airport for us because by going ahead with any land clearing, he is sending a terrible signal to people that he has no regard for court orders.

?We must await the outcome of the matter in court. That is what the rule of law dictates.?

Also, a community elder said: ?We have no quarrel with the Otti administration on the Airport project. We have an issue with the quantum of land being acquired.

?We also have an issue with the lack of transparency, the secrecy of not willing to tell landowners the amount of their land that is being taken over by the government.? (The Nation)

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