Land Conflict in Enugu

Land conflict has often been an issue within Africa, sometimes within communities and mostly within individuals and families. With the development hitting the four walls Nigeria, land conflicts have been on the increase leading to all sorts of violence. To curb land conflicts to an amicable resolution when such matters arise, the Nigerian law makers introduced the Land Use Act Law, limiting actions taken during a conflict to the authorities, but somehow, many find a way to let their emotions cloud their knowledge, and end up going about land conflicts the illegal way. Just like the case of the murder of Chinedu Nnaji by a group boys who had seen him on a piece of conflicted land and started beating him up, which led to his death.

                      Chinedu Nnaji

below is the petition filed by his family 

17^th December, 2014

The Inspector General of Police,

Lewis Edet House,

Force Headquarters,

Abuja.

Sir,

COMPLAINTS OF CONSPIRACY AND MURDER

We have been briefed and our professional services hired and retained by Messrs Uwaezuoke Agbo, Friday Nnaji and Hon. Uchenna Okohall of Umunenshi, Ummunnajingene, Amechi-Uwani Awkunanaw, Enugu South Local Government Area of Enugu State (hereinafter called “Our Client”). It is upon the definite instructions of our clients that we write this petition on their behalf.

Our clients are the members of the executive committee of Umunenshi general assembly and are law abiding citizens of Amechi-Uwani Community, Awkunanaw, Enugu South Local Government Area of Enugu State.

We have been instructed by our clients to bring to your urgent attention for necessary action of the gruesome murder Chinedu Nnaji who until his death on 17/12/2014 was a member of our said client’s family.

It is our instruction that Chinedu Nnaji was gruesomely murdered at Agbirigba, Ugwu-Onyia Enugu on 17/12/2014 by Messr. Afamefuna Destiny Ugwu, Christian Ugwu and other of their cult members yet to be identified. Thus, the decomposing corpse of Chinedu Nnaji is at present at Uwani Police Station.the facts which led to the gruesome murder of Chinedu Nnaji are as follows:

a.    The members of our clients’ family are the owners of all that piece and/or parcel of land known and called “Agbirigba Umunnenshi Land” which same is situate and lying at Ugwu-Onyia end of Ndiaga Amechi Awkunanaw, near Monarch Avenue, Maryland, Enugu.

b.    Our Clients’ family contested title to aforesaid land with the father of both Messrs Afamefuna Destiny Ugwu and Christian Ugwu in Suit No E/170/76, as decided by then Honorable Chief Judge of Anambara State, Honorable Justice F. K. Nwodi on 25/6/1985, Court of appeal, Enugu Division in Appeal No. CA/E52/1992 and finally at Supreme Court and each level, little was decided in favour of our clients.

c.    The final judgment order which gave effect to the judgment of Honorable Justice F. K. Nwokedi on 25/6/1985 was issued on 6/2/2009 and later executed and enforced under the hands and seal of Honourable the Chief Judge of Enugu State, Honourable Justice A.I Umezuluike (O.F.R), as eloquently shown in attached copies of Final Judgment Order dated 25/6/1985 and Certificate of Execution dated 27/3/2009.

d.    On 22/11/2014, while our clients were on routine inspection of their said family land, the said clients saw Christian Ugwu and other of his cult group members holding their clandestine meeting in a hidden and secluded part of the said land.

e.    On sighting and noticing the presence of our clients and without our said clients knowing they were fully armed to the teeth with gunds and other dangerous weapons, Christian Ugwu and his yet to be identified cult members opened fire on our clients. Thus, it was by divine intervention that none of our clients was caught by stray bullet from the sporadic shooting.

f.     As law abiding citizens of Nigeria who have uttermost belief in the rule of law as against the rule of might, our clients by a petition dated 25/11/2014 complained to the Commissioner of Police, Enugu State.

Attached thereto is a copy of petition dated 25/11/2014

g.    On the strength of the said petition, some persons were arrested as suspects on 16/12/2012 but to the greatest surprise of our clients, the said suspects without any written statement were upon the order of Commissioner of Police, Enugu State released.

h.   Upon a discreet and diligent investigation conducted as to why the said Commissioner acted in the above way and manner, our clients discovered to their shock that Messrs Afamefuna Destiny Ugwu and Christian