The people of Obinagu Obegu Awkunanaw in Enugu South Local Government Area of Enugu State, have staged a peaceful protest over alleged infiltration of it’s land by the State Geographic Information System (ENGIS), urging Governor Peter Mbah, to come to it’s aid.
The protesters, numbering over 5000 youths and women marched around the disputed land phase 1 and 2, before proceeding to the Government house, Enugu.
They carried placards with different inscriptions such as: “ENGIS leave our land alone; please governor Mbah help us; the land belongs to us; no more future for our children” among others.
Speaking to newsmen during the protest, the Chairman of the Obinagu Development Union, Obegu, Pastor Kingson Ndubueze, said the land, estimated at over 9000 plots legitimately belongs to the community.
He further alleged that the land was being advertised for sale to individuals and developers at the rate of N25 million per plot by officials of ENGIS.
He also alleged that the Nigeria Police Force acquired part of the land, where it is building Police Secondary School, suggesting that the police might have been brought into the matter as a ploy by the ENGIS to take their land.
Ndubueze added that the agency had earlier in 2025, invited leaders of the community to a dialogue, where they demanded for all the title document to the land.
“They invited us last year to their office, and asked us to give them all the document relating to the land for verification, which we did.
“The agency told us that they will get back to us; but instead of communicating to us they embarked on selling the land by plots.
“We are appealing to Gov. Peter Mbah to help us; our children have no future again, ” Ndubueze said.
However, in his reaction, Mr Chiwetalu Nwatu, Managing Director of the ENGIS refuted the allegations, saying the agency had nothing to do with the land.
He said that the area in question was in dispute and under litigation as many communities within the area, were currently claiming ownership of the land.
He also claimed that the police had since acquired the land, where they building, long before the present administration in the state assumed office.
