The lands, located opposite Nawfia Junction along the Onitsha-Enugu Expressway, are currently occupied by the Nigerian Army.
Addressing the gathering, the National Chairman of the village, Chief Darlington Kenechukwu Okoye, said the community’s visit was peaceful and aimed solely at establishing the true occupants of the lands.
According to him, the people of Ogwugwu Village could no longer give a full account of activities taking place on the lands, making it necessary to ascertain who currently occupies them.
He commended members of the community for turning out in large numbers, describing the exercise as an important mission for the village.
Chief Okoye said the community was satisfied with the response received from the military representatives they met at the site. He explained that the army officials referred them to the Anambra State Housing Development Corporation for further clarification regarding the ownership and occupation of the lands.
“They directed us to meet with the leadership of the Anambra State Housing Development Corporation, maintaining that issues concerning the land are between our community and the corporation. Personally, I believe that position is correct.
“So, if there are issues we did not resolve with the Housing Corporation previously, we will address them. For now, the people we met here are army officials, and we are yet to know the details of what they are doing on the land. The matter at hand is between the community and the Housing Corporation,” he said.
The chairman disclosed that the village would soon fix a date to meet with officials of the Housing Development Corporation to better understand activities taking place on the land.
He also confirmed that community representatives met with military authorities from Awka and had taken note of all the advice given to them in the interest of peace.
Chief Okoye urged members of the community to remain united in defending their common interests despite internal differences.
“We cannot relinquish any portion of our land to any group or individual, including the Anambra State Housing Development Corporation, without following due process,” he declared.
He further praised the military officers for their cooperation during a closed-door meeting at the site, noting that the soldiers treated the delegation with respect and understanding.
In separate remarks, prominent sons of the village, including Ozo Chukwuma Nwankwo, Ozo Chikezie Nwankwo and Chief Alfred Udegbunam, said the community was unaware of the circumstances surrounding the military’s presence on the land.
They maintained that the land belongs to Ogwugwu Village and stated that their previous dealings were with the Anambra State Housing Development Corporation, which they said acquired the land through due process.
According to them, the corporation paid compensation to the community and allocated all plots due to it.
“We have nothing in common with the military. Our dealings have always been with the Housing Corporation, which compensated us and fulfilled its obligations to the community. We only recently started seeing soldiers in the area before this signboard was erected,” they said.
The elders explained that their objective was to draw public attention to the issue and determine whether the military’s presence on the land was facilitated by the Housing Corporation or undertaken independently.
Earlier, while welcoming the delegation, the military officer in charge of the area, Lieutenant Aliu Yuvus, commended the Ogwugwu people for their maturity and peaceful conduct.
He referred them to the Anambra State Housing Development Corporation for further inquiries regarding the military’s occupation of the land, a position the community accepted in good faith.
The Divisional Crime Officer (DCO) of Abagana Police Division and other security personnel were present during the visit.
