There is a bitter face off between Atani people of Ogbaru
Local Government Area of Anambra state and the Nigeria Police as you are
reading this.
Atani is home town of renowned Professor of Law, Ben
Nwabueze.
The bone of contention according to ECD findings is the “wild
and wide encroachment on community land by the Nigerian Police” to which it had
donated a piece of land where it built its station years ago.
The station became a Divisional Headquarters since the
creation of Ogbaru LGA.
The people started crying out over the wide
encroachment on community land by Nigeria Police who they claim started
expanding beyond their allocation erecting walls and fences without recourse to any one.
All efforts by the traditional institution and indeed major stakeholders to correct this
encroachment are being rebuffed according to sources.
A petition has since gone to the House of Reps to check this
Police illegal encroachment as presented by Hon Chukwuka Onyema, member
representing the area at the Federal House of Representative.
A public hearing has been set for 30th January in
Abuja and concerned citizens and stakeholders
An elder of the community who did not want his name mentioned
told ECD that, “Nigeria Police is also laying claims to the lands around and
opposite their station and we don’t like it. We want the Federal Government to
check this unwarranted expansion and cause the IGP to call his men to order.”
Said another resident “ It is very funny for the Nigeria
Police to now be showing Atani people where their land begins and ends
brandishing a survey plan of 2013. Why
this is funny is that their barracks and quarters is decrepit and in ruin but
they are busy erecting walls and fences beyond the original plan.”
By Fred Iwenjora
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