The traditional ruler of Urum community in Awka North Local Government Area of Anambra State, Igwe Nweke, has exonerated estate developer Chief Okechukwu Chukwueme, owner of Nwaguatahihia Properties, from allegations of land grabbing.
Nweke clarified that the disputed land in the Ochiokwa area was legally acquired from its rightful owners and did not belong to the entire community as claimed by some residents. He explained that specific families in Urum owned the land and had the right to sell it.
The controversy had sparked tensions in the community, with the President-General of the Urum Development Union and other leaders insisting that the land was communal property. They accused Chukwueme of encroaching without proper documentation.
However, addressing journalists at his palace on Wednesday, Nweke stated that his investigations confirmed that the estate developer lawfully acquired the land from private owners. He noted that while a portion of land was revoked by former Governor Willie Obiano’s administration, it did not affect the Ochiokwa area in question.
Speaking via Zoom from Awka, Chukwueme dismissed the land-grabbing accusations, urging the public and the Anambra State Government to disregard the claims. He emphasized that his acquisition followed all legal and traditional procedures, with relevant documents and signatories obtained.
Supporting Chukwueme’s claims, Ephraim Aniebonam of the Uruokpala clan in Akitinyi village confirmed that the disputed land—comprising about 1,000 plots—was inherited by specific families and not communal property.
He and other family members expressed frustration over the ongoing dispute, insisting that the President-General had no right to interfere in their private property transactions.
