Amafor Community has staged a peaceful protest, demanding that both Business Link Ltd and the Idemili North Local Government vacate what they claim is their ancestral land.
Angel Network News (ANN) gathered that
the longstanding dispute over a federal government property located under the Nkpor flyover in Anambra State took a new turn at the weekend.
Led by their community chairman, Engr. Idemili Emmanuel, the demonstrators carried placards and voiced their grievances against what they described as encroachment on their land.
The protestors insist that the land, originally granted to their forefathers by the federal government, is now being unfairly controlled by private interests and government authorities.
The CEO of Business Link Ltd, Barr. Raphael Asha Nnabuife while defending his company’s presence on the land, claimed that an agreement exists between the Anambra State Government, the Idemili North Local Government, and his company.
According to Nnabuife, the deal stipulates that Business Link receives 60% of the revenue from the park operations, while the Amafor Community receives 17% and the local government 23%.
Barr. Nnabuife further stated that his company’s larger share is to offset a debt of N80 million owed by the state government.
Also speaking, the Chairman of Idemili North Local Government, Hon. Stanley Nwokoma, disputed this account. He emphasized that the park is solely under the jurisdiction of the local government and that neither Business Link nor the Amafor Community has been officially authorized to manage or control the property.
“For peace to reign, the park will be managed exclusively by the local government. Any revenue generated would be distributed accordingly, but without ceding control”. The Mayor said
The oldest elder in the community, Chief Raphael Obi while speaking said the matter is currently in court. He passionately called on Governor Chukwuma Soludo to intervene.
“This land is ours. Many have died because of this dispute. Until the court decides, no one should tamper with the land,” he declared.
Supporting this stance, Comrade Osi Aja Okoye, Secretary of the Amafor Community, reiterated that the federal government initially gave the land to their community without permission for permanent structures. He revealed that a reaffirmation letter had been issued, declaring the land theirs “for eternity.”
