Anambra community urges government’s intervention on boundary dispute

The Osile-Ogbunike community in Oyi local council of Anambra State has urged the governor, Chief Willie Obiano to wade into a boundary dispute with Nkwele Ezunaka and Ezi-Nkwelle villages.

The community, who made the call during a recent town hall meeting, accused indigenes from the neighbouring communities of selling their lands to unsuspecting developers.

President-General of Osile-Ogbunike community, Mr Donatus Mbanefo, called on the state government to embark on a comprehensive land demarcation between the community and its neighbours to forestall breakdown of law and order.He warned members of the public buying lands from their neighbours to stop henceforth until the boundaries are demarcated.

According to him, these unsuspected buyers should stop further development on the land or risk forfeiting their investments as the community would use all lawful means to reclaim its heritage.

He said: “We hereby notify all the illegal occupants, trespassers and those destroying Osile farmlands at Ogu Osile, that Agu Osile land is not for grabbing. “We advise that they pull out of the lands because we will employ all legal means to remove them.“Osile people have government approved layout which was registered in 1991. Nobody has been authorized to alter the layout and nobody has the authority to sell or re-sell the land.

“We therefore plead with the general public to stay away from the land and to obey the judgment of the Supreme Court on the matter.Mbanefo recalled that a Supreme Court judgment on the disputed land obtained in 2012 had declared that the land in question belongs to them.

He further disclosed that the said judgment and the survey plan were submitted to the Anambra State Boundary Commission with public announcement issued but wondered why the judgment has not been enforced.