The people of the Amatta Autonomous community in the Ikeduru Council Area of Imo State have sued state Governor Hope Uzodinma over what they allege is the illegal and forceful acquisition of community land without notice.
The plaintiffs are praying the State High Court sitting at Iho Judicial division in Ikeduru council declare the acquisition as illegal, null and void.
In a SUIT NO. HIH/44/2023. LUCKY OBIYO &11Others vs GOVERNOR Of IMO & 2 OTHERS, Mr Lucky Obiyor, Chairman of the Aladimma Obinnekele Amatta, said that their prayers before the court is the nullification of the purported acquisition of their farmland known as Ofemiri land by the state governor without any negotiation/ agreement with the natives.
“We have gone to court to challenge the illegal acquisition of our farmland by the state government and, our major prayer before the court is the nullification of the purported acquisition because the process and procedure as stipulated in the Land Use Act was not followed. We only read in one of the local tabloids, The ANNOUNCER of February 2023 when the Ministry of Land announced for interested individuals and developers to apply for land allotment at the Ofemiri Amatta. Meanwhile, the purported acquisition of the land started in June 2023.
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“How could a state government acquire a community’s land without any negotiations/ agreement with the natives who are the principal land owners? We have already served Governor Hope Uzodinma through his Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, the Commissioners for Lands, and Housing the court processes since last Friday.”
Engr Joe McKenzie said that the procedure for the acquisition of land was not followed and that the Amatta community is praying the court to nullify the purported acquisition because it is suspicious and fraudulent.
“We have gone to court and we served Governor Uzodinma, both the Commissioners of Lands and Housing have been served and they can’t claim ignorance of the court matter. We have also told the Commissioner for Lands that whoever he paid he should do well to collect their money. We will sort it out in court. I have never seen where a government acquires a community land without the knowledge of the natives.”
