Land Grabbing: Enugu Community Protests, Sends SOS to Governor Mbah, LG Chairman

Residents of Umuezenevu village in Ibute-Egede, Udi Local Government Area of Enugu State, have staged a protest over alleged land grabbing and destruction of their ancestral farmlands by private developers. The demonstrators called on Governor Peter Mbah and the Chairman of Udi LGA, Engr. Hyginus Agu, to urgently intervene and halt the ongoing encroachment. The protesters, including elders, women, and youths, marched to the site of the disputed land, known as Phoenix Layout Phases 1 to 4, located along the 9th Mile–Obollo Afor highway. Armed with placards bearing messages such as “Stop destroying our land” and “Governor Mbah, come to our aid,” the residents expressed outrage over what they described as a forceful takeover of their land. Speaking on behalf of the community, Elder Patrick Onodu stated that the land was never sold or leased to any developer. He accused the alleged encroachers of clearing farmlands, palm trees, and other economic assets valued at over ₦5 billion under the protection of armed security personnel. The community identified a real estate firm, EYA Homes Ltd, as being behind the development. They alleged that the company’s Managing Director, Hon. Chinedu Eya, initially agreed to a cease-and-desist arrangement during a meeting with village representatives, but later resumed operations on the disputed land. Onodu said the matter was earlier reported to the Ezi Nze Police Division and warned that the community would not tolerate further destruction of their land. “We never gave anyone permission to develop this land. This is our ancestral heritage, and we depend on it for our livelihood,” he said. Another elder, Mr. Celestine Onyia, expressed disappointment that despite previous complaints and a supposed agreement, bulldozers were returned to the site and cleared more land. A youth leader, Chinedu Ugwu, emphasized that the villagers are not against development, but insisted it must follow due process and include the consent of the rightful landowners. The community is appealing to Governor Mbah and the Udi council chairman to intervene immediately and ensure that all activities on the land are suspended pending proper investigation. As of the time of filing this report, there has been no official response from EYA Homes Ltd or government authorities regarding the matter.