By Sunny A. David, Awka
A longstanding land dispute in Umuawulu community, Awka South Local Government Area of Anambra State, has turned deadly following the killing of a former community leader, Humphrey Obi.
The deceased, a 49-year-old father of four and former chairman of Umuenu Village, was allegedly attacked with machetes while working on a disputed piece of land claimed by both Umuenu and Enugwu quarters of the community.
The incident sparked a peaceful protest on Wednesday as residents of Umuenu marched through the community, demanding justice and government intervention. The protesters carried placards accusing alleged land grabbers of encroaching on their ancestral land and calling on the state government to halt further activities on the disputed property.
Speaking during the protest, the President-General of Umuenu quarters, Comrade Benneth Mbolu, appealed to Governor Chukwuma Soludo to urgently intervene to prevent further violence.
According to him, ownership of the disputed land is already before the Awka High Court, and no party should be allowed access to the property until the court delivers its judgment.
Mbolu also urged the governor to ensure that the judicial process is allowed to run its full course without interference. He expressed concern over what he described as growing tension in the community, saying residents now live in fear following the killing.
He maintained that the disputed land belongs to Umuenu people and alleged that Obi was attacked by individuals he described as land grabbers. The community leader called on the authorities to ensure justice is served and those responsible for the killing are brought to book.
The protesters also appealed for an impartial handling of the dispute, insisting that the matter concerns land ownership and remains before the court.
A 96-year-old community elder, Stephen Okechukwu Okoye, appealed to the Anambra State Government and other relevant authorities to intervene before the crisis escalates into a wider breakdown of law and order in the community.
Meanwhile, the widow of the deceased, Mrs. Nkechi Obi, tearfully appealed to the government and security agencies to identify and prosecute those responsible for her husband’s death.
She lamented that the tragedy has left her family devastated, adding that the loss of her husband has created severe financial hardship and threatens the education of their four children.
Residents have continued to call for swift government intervention to restore peace and prevent further violence as the legal battle over the disputed land continues.
