Hope Uzodimma
The Nkwazema family of Nekede in Owerri West Local Government Area of Imo State has vowed to defend their ancestral land with their lives following what they describe as a forceful invasion by officials linked to the state government.
Speaking on behalf of the family, Felix Uchenna Ihemeze Nkwazema alleged that the Special Adviser to the Governor on Monitoring and Compliance, Nze Chinasa Nwaneri, led a team that included armed security personnel and a group of young men described as thugs to the family’s property at No. 1 Bus Stop, Nekede Old Road. According to him, the group destroyed houses and other structures on the land and immediately began erecting fences.
Nkwazema said the land, which spans more than 10 plots and contains residential buildings as well as the graves of family members, has been in the family’s possession since at least 1943. He presented Owerri City survey-plan documents to support the claim of long-standing ownership.
“We were never approached nor notified that the Imo State Government wants to take our land. We were not compensated and are now street urchins as Nwaneri and his thugs had rendered us homeless and restless,” Nkwazema said. “Our ancestral land has never been in dispute.”
He accused the invaders of mapping out the graves of their parents before fencing the area and alleged that sporadic shootings during the operation forced residents to flee for safety. He also claimed that one of his brothers, Ifeanyi Ihemeze Nkwazema, was arrested by operatives of the Tiger Base unit.
The family insisted that no formal notice of acquisition, negotiation, or compensation was ever provided, contrary to established legal procedures for government land acquisition. Nkwazema called on Governor Hope Uzodinma, the Inspector-General of Police, the Commissioner of Police in Imo State, and other relevant authorities to intervene and compel Nwaneri to vacate the property.
“We are ready to die in our home,” the family declared, stating that they would pursue every available legal means to protect their inheritance.
Efforts to reach Nze Chinasa Nwaneri and other state government officials for comment were unsuccessful as of the time of this report. Calls and messages sent to them went unanswered.
The incident adds to a series of land-related disputes in Imo State in which communities and families have alleged forceful takeovers or demolitions involving government agents or politically connected individuals. Authorities have not yet issued an official response to the Nkwazema family’s specific allegations.
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