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Anambra community drags Ojukwu Varsity to court over land acquisition
By Madu Obi
The people of Igbariam, the host community of the Anambra State- owned Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University, have dragged the state government and authorities of the institution to court over the acquisition of their land encroachment.
In a motion on notice for an interim injunction brought by the community at the Anambra High Court sitting in Awka, the President General of Igbariam Progress Union, Chris Oforkansi and others, urged the court to restrain the university from further encroaching into their land.
The community had, in suit No A/MSC298/2024, sought to restrain Governor Chukwuma Soludo and Anambra State government from further adverse occupation and possession of the land, including the one housing Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University.
The motion on notice wants the court stop the defendants from further adverse occupation, possession, trespass, sales of lands and other activities on the said land.
The land, which measures approximately 2,415 hectares, became subject of litigation when the community felt the reason the land was acquired by the old Eastern Region for farm settlement had been abolished, hence, the need to return the land to the original owners.
Counsel to Igbariam community, Vincent Makam, said the interim injunction was to restrain government from taking the land from his clients on the grounds that the land his clients are farming on, has been taken over by the state government.He said that with the abolition of the farm settlement by the late Ukpabi Asika administration of the defunct East Central State, the land ought to automatically return to the original owners and urged the court to give order restraining the state government from further harm on the people of the community.
The community argued that the original aim of the acquisition of the land by the Eastern region was abolished in 1976, adding that the people were farming on the land before Anambra State government forcefully took it over for the purpose of establishing the university and the proposed construction of the university of agriculture.
He urged the court to grant the interim injunction pending the hearing of the suit on the proposed applicant in the substantive suit.
Counsel to Anambra State, Ezeagu Obianuju, said government is in possession of the land based on memorandum of understanding entered into between the people of Igbariam with the old Eastern state.
She said there is no need for the community to seek legal action against the state government and the university.
The trial judge, Justice Jude Obiora, after listening to the arguments of both counsel, adjourned the matter to August 30, 2024 for further hearing.
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