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The residents of Amawbia community in Anambra State's Awka South Local Government Area have opposed and protested what they characterise as 'land grabbing' and 'land misuse' by the Nigerian Correctional Service in the state.
The
community members voiced their concerns during a protest at the location where
the Nigerian Correctional Service (formerly known as the Nigerian Prisons
Service) is currently constructing a grand shopping mall on land given to them
for prison-related projects and purposes.
The
land in question, situated at 18 Zik's Avenue in Amawbia and nearby plots, were
donated to the Prisons by the generous forefathers of the Okpannebochime
Kindred of Ngene village, Amawbia, primarily for administrative purposes.
However, community members expressed distress and dissatisfaction over how the
Prisons authorities have commenced utilizing the land for commercial endeavors,
contrary to the original intent of their forebears' land donation.
Upon
inspection, it was observed that some portions of the land already had shops
established on them, while construction work proceeded swiftly on another
section, where the Prisons Service was purportedly erecting a grand shopping
mall.
A
signpost at the site was also noted, displaying the inscription "Nigerian
Prisons Service, Anambra State Command, Prisons Officers’ Wives Association
(PROWA) Shopping Complex." Masons and other laborers were seen working at
the site before the protesters arrived.
The
protesters, all of whom were male, held placards with various messages,
including "We Want Our Land Back," "Okpannebochime Land Is Not
for Sale, It Was Not Sold," "We Will Not Allow Abuse of
Privilege," "This Is Outright Injustice by Prisons Service,"
"Okpannebochime Are the Owners of the Land," "Leave Our Land for
the Sake of Peace," among others.
Addressing
the media during the protest at the shopping mall site, Amb. Nnamdi Gabriel
Onwuziligbo, Chairman of the Okpannebochime Kindred and Deputy
President-General of Amawbia Town Union, expressed his dismay at the Prisons
authorities' abandonment of the land's original purpose without the consent of
the land's donors.
He
revealed that the community had previously lodged a petition against the
shopping mall's construction when work first commenced, which led to a
temporary halt in the project. However, he voiced concern that work had resumed
at the site with great speed to meet a set commissioning deadline. He also
alleged the involvement of a private financier named Pipeline in the project.
"We
also know the value of money. We know the project we can site here. And we know
we can also work in conjunction with conglomerate companies to establish even
ShopRite here. But that was not the reason our forefathers gave the land to
Prisons. But, as you can see, they have shifted and diverted the purpose to
commercial by embarking on building shopping complex and other commercial
ventures on our land without any consultation or authorization," said Amb.
Onwuziligbo.
He
emphasised that if the Prisons authorities had used the land for schools or
hospitals, it would have been a different matter. However, he alleged that the
Prisons authorities had also leased out portions of the land for commercial
purposes and called for a roundtable dialogue to resolve the issue.
Mr.
Ifeanyi Muogonu, Chairman of the Land Committee at Amawbia Town Union,
expressed his disbelief at the Prisons engaging in business enterprises like
building a shopping mall. He demanded that the Prisons authorities vacate the land
and stated their peaceful intent in addressing the matter. He mentioned that
the town was willing to find the appropriate landowners and return the land to
them.
Responding
to the protesters, Engr. Valentine Chukwuma, the officer supervising the project,
an Assistant Superintendent of Corrections (ASP) in charge of the Works Office
at the Nigeria Correctional Service, Anambra State Command, assured the
protesters that he would relay their message to his superior, the State
Comptroller of Corrections.
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