Indigenes of Aborji village, Oba, in Idemili South Local Government Area of Anambra State, have called on the State Government and Nigeria Police to intervene in the ongoing onslaught in the community by the neighbours following the renewed call for compensation on the abandoned Oba Airport site.

Addressing journalists on the matter in Oba, Chairman of the village, Chief Dozie Nweke, said the community has been facing incessant harassment from its neighbours since the renewed call for compensation by Oba people on the failed airport site.

He said efforts were being made to ensure that Aborji village, which was among the owners of the land donated to the state government for the airport project was dropped from the compensatory scheme adding that fights over the matter involving the villages have resulted in injuries and arrests of some youths.

Nweke who doubles as the leader of Oba Youths Association called on the Anambra State government to consider the numerous petitions over the real donors of land for the airport with a view to ensuring that all were accommodated.

While suing for peace, he regretted that the people of Oba were being divided over land issue that was supposed to unite them.

The community Chairman urged the police to rather be peacemakers in the matter and not allow vested interest to use them to intimidate and harass his people.

He said: “Some people and some villages in Oba town have decided to cause problem among us, they have decided to destroy the long standing peaceful coexistence among us because of land.

“In Igbo land, land is owned by individuals, families and quarters, community does not own it.

“Okpuno Aborji in Aboji village has part of their land in that airport land but some people are working hard to remove our name from those that donated that land and ensure they did not benefit from compensation.

“We are calling on Anambra State government to know that the land of our people is involved and they should also consider every opinion on that matter to avoid working with those that want to hijack it.

“It is unfortunate that there have been fight among us, people have been wounded, others have been arrested but painfully we are living in fear because of incessant arrests and harassment from the police.”

Reacting to the issue, the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) of Ojoto Police Division, Mr. Prince Ugochukwu assured that the Police was there for the protection of all parties involved.

He maintained that no person related to the matter was under his custody urging people with genuine complaint to report to the police.

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