Protest rocks Abia community over destruction of farmlands, arrest of indigenes
Indigenes of Amaidi, Onuzo and Amanyanwu villages in Imobi Uturu, Isuikwuato LGA of Abia State on Friday, protested the destruction of their farmlands by bulldozers, crying out that they were neither informed or compensated before the exercise.
The agrarian community alleged that the farms were destroyed by a mining company to pave way for mining and stone crushing activities.
They added that two of their sons, Cyprain Obite and Chinedum Oguguo, were arrested for protesting the invasion of their lands.
According to the Imobi indigenes, some individuals from the community signed an agreement for the mining of granite in their land without conducting Environmental Impact Assessment about the dangers of the the activity or carrying the people along.
Speaking through Emeka Onyeanusi, Chukwuma Agu, the woman leader Mrs Joy Chukwuemeka and others, the Imobi autonomous community indigenes appealed to Governor Alex Otti to intervene in the matter.
The villagers who sat on the destroyed farmlands during the protest, said they were not against the mining of the granite, but were worried that some individuals enjoying the support of Abia State Deputy Governor, Ikechukwu Emetu, had hijacked the control of the mining site from the entire indigenes, with impunity.
One of the indigenes, Mrs Nneka Oguguo, said some policemen who were led by controllers of the disputed mining site broke into her family house at 5:00 am on Friday and took away her husband, Mr. Chinedum Oguguo, to an unknown place.
“I don’t know where they took my husband to up till now but they accused him of supporting our Eze. I don’t know the fate of my husband,” Mrs Oguguo said amid tears.
The President General of Achara Uturu Progressive Union, Chigozie Onuoha, said it was wrong for individuals to enter a business agreement with external companies without the knowledge and approval of Eze Simeon Chukwuemeka.
When contacted for reaction, the Chief Press Secretary to Abia State Deputy Governor, Chukwudi Eke Mba, said it was wrong to link his principal to the development as he is not in any way connected with the crises or destruction of farmlands in Imobi.
He noted that a cordial agreement had been reached by representatives of the three villages about the mining site.
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