25/04/2025
STATEMENT FROM THE EXECUTIVES, STAKEHOLDERS, AND LANDOWNERS OF AGU-OWA ESTATE, PART OF THE LARGER NIKE COMMUNITY LAYOUT, ENUGU, FOLLOWING THE MEETING HELD ON WEDNESDAY, APRIL 23, 2025, AT THE SSG’S BOARDROOM, GOVERNMENT HOUSE, ENUGU, WITH PDP CHAIRMAN & COMMISSIONER FOR HOUSING DR. MARTIN CHUKWUNWEIKE, COMMISSIONER FOR LANDS MR. CHIMA OKORIE, AND OTHER STATE OFFICIALS PRESENT
We, the executives, stakeholders, and landowners of Agu-Owa Estate, wish to present the following response:
1. Misrepresentation of Meeting Proceedings
We strongly contest the communique issued by the state government following the meeting. It does not reflect the actual discussions that took place. The meeting was tightly controlled by the government: our phones were confiscated, we were not allowed to record, while government representatives recorded the meeting themselves and later published a misleading version of the proceedings.
2. Rejection of Government’s Attempted Takeover
We categorically reject any attempt by the Enugu State Government to seize Agu-Owa Estate. This action is unprecedented in the history of the state—no government has ever attempted to forcibly acquire private land in this manner. We currently have a valid court injunction restraining any governmental action regarding Agu-Owa until the conclusion of the ongoing suit (Suit No: E/783/2024) at the Enugu High Court. Any effort by the government to conduct verification, demarcation, or any related activity will be in clear contempt of court, and we will pursue legal redress to the fullest extent. We urge the government to respect the rule of law and halt all actions concerning our estate.
3. Clarification on the Layout
Agu-Owa Estate is part of the broader Community Layout in Nike, Enugu. The layout begins from Dan Ogugua Street—opposite Harris Filling Station near NOWAS junction—and stretches to the Enugu-Onitsha Expressway. We possess a certified true copy of the original layout plan, registered with the Ministry of Lands under Plan No: E/84.
4. Unequal Treatment and Selective Enforcement
We are deeply concerned by the unfair treatment targeted at Agu-Owa Estate. While other areas within the same layout—many owned by affluent individuals—have also failed to comply with layout regulations, they face no such threats. In fact, open spaces, green areas, commercial plots, and parking zones originally reserved in the layout have been sold by the government to wealthy individuals, who have constructed large residences there. We appeal for equity and fairness. It is unjust to target Agu-Owa alone, simply because many of its landowners are poor or less educated. We urge the government and judiciary to ensure all citizens are treated equally, regardless of their economic status.
5. Appeal to the Governor and the Public
We are disheartened by the government's current approach, which feels punitive and harsh. Our community supported His Excellency, Governor Peter Ndubuisi Mbah, in the hope that he would bring development—not dispossession. We implore him to recognize that across the world, low-income neighborhoods coexist with middle- and upper-class areas. To penalize us for being a lower-income community is against the spirit of justice and compassion that we believe he represents. We ask him to reconsider this path and stand with the people who believed in his leadership.
Thank you.
Signed: The Executives, Stakeholders, and Landowners of Agu-Owa Estate
