The people of Obeagu Awkunanaw in Enugu South Local Government Area have expressed profound gratitude to the Speaker and members of the Enugu State House of Assembly for their recent ruling on the contentious land dispute concerning their ancestral land.
In an open letter of appreciation, the community commended the House’s Special Committee on Land Matters for their thorough findings and recommendations, which were adopted on December 19, 2024.
The report addressed a petition titled “Save us from intimidation, harassment, and the malicious demolition of our buildings by the Enugu Capital Territory Development Authority (ECTDA) and others, who are attempting to forcibly take over our ancestral land despite pending legal cases.”
The community hailed the verdict, which confirmed that the land in question had not been properly acquired by Private Estates International West Africa Ltd (PEIWA), as an “epochal” moment that reinvigorated their hope for justice.
They recounted their suffering at the hands of alleged land grabbers, who, armed with “enormous financial resources,” employed intimidation and harassment against them.
“Many of us were unjustly arrested, hurriedly arraigned in various courts, and remanded in prison, all in an effort to frighten us into submission. Yet we remained undaunted. Our resilience and determination surged as we continued our protracted quest for justice,” they stated.
Quoting Shakespeare, the community declared, “Now that ‘a Daniel has come to judgment,’ our joy knows no bounds, and we are eternally grateful to this esteemed House for these notably restorative and heartening proclamations.”
The letter also praised Governor Peter Mbah for his commitment to ending land-grabbing activities and safeguarding vulnerable communities.
“We can confidently assert that this landmark victory would not have been possible without the unwavering sympathy shown towards victimised communities,” the community noted.
However, they expressed concern over continued provocations despite the Assembly’s resolution. They alleged that on Christmas Eve, individuals linked to the dispute initiated another wave of demolitions, destroying a fence within their community.
“We awoke on Wednesday, 25th December 2025, to witness the senseless, atrocious, and cowardly destruction of a long stretch of fence.
“If not for the swift action of some community members who alerted law enforcement, who knows what further chaos might have ensued?” the community accused.
They added, “Despite these setbacks, we must not hesitate to thank our tireless and steadfast development partners, as well as our legal teams in Enugu and Abuja, for their invaluable guidance, advice, and tremendous support that helped us endure even the most turbulent phases of our struggle.”
“We can only emphasise that it is not yet ‘Uhuru’. We urge everyone to remain vigilant and not let their guard down, as it is clear that the adversary is still lurking and may come back even more ferociously to undermine this indisputable report.”
Finally, the community honoured the courage and unity of their people throughout the ordeal.
“We extend our heartfelt thanks to the people of Obeagu for their unwavering faith in us. Your steadfastness has been remarkably inspirational, even when the task seemed daunting or impossible. Despite the intimidation, victimisation, brutalisation, malicious prosecution, bloodshed, and murder, you stood resolutely by us.
They called for peace and genuine development in Obeagu Awkunanaw and across the entire state, praying for continued blessings upon the Enugu State House of Assembly, Governor Peter Mbah, and their community.