Land Dispute - capitaltimesnews.com

EBONYI COMMUNITY CALLS ON GOVERNOR NWIFURU TO INTERVENE IN LAND DISPUTE VIOLENCE

CapitalTimesNews / 1 week

2 min read

The Amasiri community in Afikpo Local Government Area of Ebonyi State has appealed to Governor Francis Nwifuru to intervene in the recent attack on one of its sons, Mr. Boniface Akwuba, who was shot on his left hand by Akpoha people while working on his farmland. The community is seeking government support to ensure peace and order are restored in the area. This incident has sparked concerns about escalating tensions between the two communities, highlighting the need for the state government to address underlying issues driving the conflict. A similar incident was reported in April 2025, where six people, including a pregnant woman, were killed in a renewed outbreak of violence over a longstanding land dispute between Ndukwe community in Amasiri and Okporojo in Oso, Edda Local Government Area. The Idima Autonomous Community in Edda LGA had previously raised alarm over constant attacks and killings by suspected warlords from Amasiri. The community’s President General, Comrade Nkama Okoro Agha, condemned the attack and called on Governor Nwifuru to urgently intervene. “We appeal to Governor Francis Nwifuru of Ebonyi State to urgently swing into action to stop this attack against our people by ensuring issues lingering on the disputing land are being settled to save the lives and properties of innocent citizens,” Agha stated. The Ebonyi State Government declared the disputed area a buffer zone in a bid to reduce tensions. Chairman of Afikpo LGA, Engr. Timothy Nwachi, announced the government’s decision, advising residents to stay away from the disputed land. In a related development, activist lawyer Maduabuchi Idam petitioned the Chief of Defence Staff, DSS, and CP over military aggression in Amasiri, alleging brutality and unwarranted invasion. The government must take immediate action to investigate the incident, provide security, and foster dialogue between the Akpoha and Amasiri communities to resolve their differences peacefully and restore peace and stability in the region.

BUA REFINERY PROJECT THREATENED AS COMMUNITY ACCUSES FIRM OF ILLEGAL LAND ENCROACHMENT

Nicolas Adekeye / 5 months
0
3 min read

A fresh crisis is brewing at the BUA Refinery and Petrochemicals located in Akwa Ibom state as the Ekid community accused the oil firm of illegally encroaching into their land The community has threatened to shut down the refinery complex, insisting that the Stubbs Creeks Forest, where the project is located, is their territory. The dispute follows a lingering disagreement between the Ekid community and their neighbours, Ibeno, over the ownership of the said land. According to the Ekid people, BUA Refinery and Petrochemicals should have followed the footsteps of Mobil Producing Nigeria, which had its operational base in the area, by meeting with the landowners and paying compensation accordingly before acquiring the land. Udonsak In a document submitted to the Akwa Ibom State Land Use and Allocation Committee, the National President of Ekid People’s Union, Dr Samuel Udonsak, accused BUA of illegal encroachment on their land without following the due process. “ExxonMobil Qua Iboe Terminal is situated in the Stubbs Creek Forest Reserve. It was first dereserved, then the land acquired and compensation paid to the Ekid people who are the landowners of the Stubbs Creeks Forest,” Dr Udonsak said. “This is how land can be acquired in the Stubbs Creek Forest, and nobody should be cajoled by greed for lack of knowledge to regard Ibeno as landowners of the Stubbs Creek Forest. That is what BUA ought to have done and must now do. Identify the area of its interest, meet the landowners (Ekid people), and we would be delighted to meet with them,” Dr Udonsak added. The community insisted that BUA must secure a lease from the Ekid people, the landowners, before approaching the government for land titles. “With the secured lease terms from Ekid, the landowners, BUA would then approach the government for land titles as appropriate, anything less than that amounts to criminal encroachment and Ekid people will resist it until eternity,” Dr Udonsak said. The Stubbs Creeks Forest Reserve, also known as Akoiyak Ekid, is a gazette forest reserve in Akwa Ibom state, established in 1930. The reserve has attracted several researchers from within and outside Nigeria, as it is considered a hotspot for biodiversity, especially its floral and faunal resources. In 2021, a public dispute emerged between Eket and Ibeno Local government areas of Akwa Ibom State on the ownership of Stubbs Creek forest reserve. This dispute was intensified following the interest of BUA Group of Companies in the forest. The BUA Refinery and Petrochemicals project, which is being developed by BUA Group, a Nigerian conglomerate, aims to strengthen Nigeria’s refining capacity, reduce the country’s dependence on imported fuels and petrochemicals, and help build a stronger industrial and manufacturing base for Nigeria. Once completed, the refinery will produce high-quality gasoline, diesel, jet fuel, and propylene, all meeting Euro-V specifications. The project is backed by Abdul Samad Rabiu, the founder and chairman of BUA Group, and Axens, a company that provides technologies and equipment for the oil and petrochemical industry. Management has said that the refinery will be completed by the end of 2025. However, the dispute over the ownership of the land is one of the reasons for the slow pace of progress on the refinery project, according to the community.

DELTA STATE LAND DISPUTE TURNS DEADLY: FATHER AND DAUGHTER BEHEADED

Nicolas Adekeye / 5 months

2 min read

A gruesome land dispute in the Amai community, Ukwuani Local Government Area of Delta State, has resulted in the beheading of a 70-year-old man, Mr. Aghanti, and his 50-year-old daughter, Mrs. Atagoshi. According to reports, Mrs. Atagoshi, a secondary school teacher and pastor’s wife, had purchased a piece of land in the community, which was later claimed by some individuals. The Delta State Police Command confirmed the incident, with spokesperson DSP Bright Edafe revealing that the assailant lured the victims into the bush under the pretext of discussing the land issue. “The suspect called the woman, saying he wanted to discuss the land issue. He then took her and her father into the bush, killed them, and beheaded them,” Edafe said. In a shocking twist, vigilantes apprehended a suspect, Emeke, with two human heads, which were later identified as belonging to the father and daughter. Emeke was subsequently mobbed and set ablaze by angry residents. The headless bodies of the victims were found in the bush. Edafe added that the main suspect is currently on the run, while efforts are ongoing to arrest him. The incident has sent shockwaves through the community, highlighting the deadly consequences of land disputes in the region.

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EBONYI COMMUNITY CALLS ON GOVERNOR NWIFURU TO INTERVENE IN LAND DISPUTE VIOLENCE

BUA REFINERY PROJECT THREATENED AS COMMUNITY ACCUSES FIRM OF ILLEGAL LAND ENCROACHMENT

DELTA STATE LAND DISPUTE TURNS DEADLY: FATHER AND DAUGHTER BEHEADED

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