Communities in Imo protest government agents' alleged encroachment on their ancestral lands.

The residents of Uratta communities in Owerri North council of Imo State have appealed to Governor Sen. Hope Uzodimma to conduct an inquiry and put an end to what they perceive as an illicit and coercive acquisition of their ancestral lands by government officials and individuals involved in land grabbing activities.

The individuals who expressed their views under the auspices of the Uratta Development Association (UDA) emphasized the presence of a valid court order that prohibits any more encroachment on their properties. They encouraged all parties involved to demonstrate respect for this legal injunction.

During a press conference convened in Owerri, the UDA President, Chief Stanley Ukaga, and Secretary, Barr. Ezekiel Oparah, issued a cautionary statement emphasizing that failure on the part of the state government to effectively address the issue of land encroachment may potentially result in the eventual disruption of legal and societal order.

According to Ukaga, the regions currently experiencing impact are Orji Uratta, Owaelu Uratta, and Owalla Uratta. There are also speculations that their illicit operations are intended to expand into Umunahu Uratta.

In actuality, after relinquishing a substantial amount of property to the State government, we have allocated the remaining hectares for the purposes of our agricultural endeavors as well as for the benefit of our descendants, both present and future. We now possess no further land beyond the ones mentioned, and we have no further land available for relinquishment.

Ukaga further asserted that the territories obtained by the previous administration led by His Excellency Senator Rochas Okorocha, which were subject to a tripartite Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) including the State government, the Amata community, and the Orji community, remain in effect and are distinctly defined and marked within the MOU.

Should these individuals, assuming their affiliation with the government and endorsement by His Excellency Sen. Hope Uzodinma, possess the requisite expertise and power, it is advisable for them to limit their activities strictly within the parameters outlined in the extant Memorandum of Understanding (MOU).

We strongly recommend that anyone engaging in land encroachment immediately cease their unauthorized entry onto the lands and farms belonging to our community. We further caution those who may consider purchasing these parcels of land that the issue is currently under legal scrutiny, and court orders have been obtained to prohibit any additional activity on these properties.

The complete Uratta Clan expresses strong disapproval of these actions in their entirety and urges His Excellency to take action against the individuals involved in land grabbing.

The individuals engaging in land grabbing are perceived as actors seeking to disrupt stability, as they meticulously strategize to sow discord between us and the esteemed His Excellency. We strongly recommend that His Excellency establish a fact-finding committee in order to determine the true intentions of the aforementioned individuals. Oparah made an addition.