Hundreds of Awka youths yesterday announced a seven-day abstinence from sex with their wives while also vowing not to eat or drink for the time period. They trooped to the streets to protest the alleged illegal land deals in the state capital by some officials of the state government.

They marched to the state secretariat with a white coffin, which they said, was for the burial of the Commissioner of Lands and Housing Development, Mr. Lawrence Chinwuba and one Patrick Obianwu, whom they accused of engaging in land racketeering in Awka.

The group trekked about 800 metres from the popular Aroma junction in Awka to the state secretariat, where the commissioner’s office is located, carrying placards and chanting in vernacular “We are angry, we are angry, Chinwuba has sold all our lands”.

Some of the placards carried by the protesters read: “We are angry, our lands being taken away by individuals in the guise of governmental development; Chinwuba has sold all our lands”; “Ministry of housing leave Awka land alone”; “Governor Obiano remove Lawrence Chinwuba because he is a cancer” and “Chinwuba is a betrayal”.

The community alleged that the commissioner had taken about 70 plots of Awka land and developed up to 15 while refusing to pay compensation on any of them.

Speaking on behalf of the group at the state secretariat, Rev Victor Nnebe, who is a Special Adviser on Lands to the community and consultant on Awka lands, said that their grievance is the manner Awka lands especially Ezinano community lands were being taken over by “an individual man Chinwuba, who comes in the guise of acquiring community lands for state development.”

“Enough is enough, we have kept calm enough while our lands are hijacked by individuals for resale and building of estates where Awka indigenes don’t live or own a house,” he said.

Nnebe listed some of the areas the community conceded its lands to the government to include the Governor’s Lodge, the road safety office, the secretariat, the state police command, teaching hospital, Department of Security Service(DSS), prisons, high court, etc.

He noted that though the government owned every land by law, that forceful acquisition of land by individuals especially, government officials had not taken such stride anywhere in the country the way it has in Awka.

The consultant called on the governor of the state, Chief Willie Obiano, to call his foot soldiers to order especially the Commissioner for Lands and Housing Development.

Also lending his voice, one of the leaders of the group, Mr. Ochije demanded that Rockland Investment Company should stop encroaching in any land in Awka henceforth, or the scenario would change to something more sinister.

“Awka youths will be on the watch to ensure that Rockland investment does not step into our land again. If they do, people will be buried in that land. We are peaceful people; that is why we gently came here today to drive home our grievances.

“We will mourn Commissioner Chinwuba for seven days as Awka customs and tradition demand. While doing that, the men would not touch their wives and would not eat or drink throughout that period,” he said.

Ochije, however, pleaded with the State Governor to as a matter of urgent intervene in the matter before it turned to bloodshed that may run out of control in the land.

Addressing the protesters, the Head of Service, Chidi Ezeoke, promised that their demands would be quickly forwarded to the governor whom, he said, had not been in the state for some days.

Ezeoke, while pleading the demonstrators to calm down, commended them for the peaceful nature they carried out the protest without being violent, saying that their anger was a well deserved one.

He also urged them to be patient while waiting for the response of the state governor, adding that he would relay their requests to him as soon as he returned to the state.

•Photo shows Awka youths