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UMUENWENE IJI, NIKE COMMUNITY SIDE OF THE STORY

We are members of the Board of Trustees of Umuenwene Iji, community of Nike, Enugu. We want to make our position clear on the raging controversy, surrounding the ownership of the Airport Road Phase IV and V Layout. To <!--more-->be silent on this matter and at this point will mean connivance with the forces that are bent on dispossessing Arch. J.J Emejulu of his land and we do not intend to do so.

Our Board of Trustees which came into office in 2015 got to know about the sale of the expanse of land on Airport road known as Airport Road Phase IV and V. We made inquiries concerning the deal. After painstaking investigation we found out that the land actually belongs to Arch. J.J. Emejulu and that he bought it in 2008 from our community (Umuenwene Iji, Nike). We have no issues with him.

ON HON. CORNELIUS NNAJI’S RECENT CLAIMS

Hon Cornelius Nnaji is our son and he is currently the member representing Enugu East/Isiuzo Federal Constituency in the National Assembly. For whatever reason, he is one of those saying that the Airport Road Phase IV and V does not belong to Arch. J.J.Emejulu. But he is wrong.

First and foremost, Hon. Nnaji is not a member of the Board of Trustees of Umuenwene Iji, Nike community and has never been. Though a bona fide son of our community, but he was neither privy to the sale nor vested with the right to represent and or speak for Umuenwene Iji, Nike community on the issue of the ownership of the Airport Road Phase IV and V. The affairs of the community are entrusted in the hands of the Igwe, the Elders and the Board of Trustees. And up to this moment the Trustees of the community leadership have not expressed willingness to be assisted in the discharge of their duty. They are on top of their job and would rather Hon. Nnaji concern himself with the job of representing them in the National Assembly and stop usurping their office. We shall be content to have him focus on his legislative work in the National Assembly and allow us the responsibility of managing the community affairs. We cannot be more appreciative if he abides by this position.

ON THE FALSE CLAIMS BY G.O.D ENEH FAMILY

It is important to also ask G.O.D Eneh family from Udi Local Government, Area which is also claiming ownership of Airport Road Phase IV and V Layout to desist from doing so. They should do well to stay out of contest of the ownership of the Layout.

In the first place, our community Umuenwene Iji, Nike did not transact any land business with them. And based on this, we see their claim as not just baseless, but particularly infantile. Umuenwene Iji, Nike has never had anything to do with the Eneh family. Eneh family bought their own land which is distinct from the Airport Road Phase IV and V Layout from Umuchigbo Iji Nike. The boundary between the two communities (Umuenwene Iji and Umuchigbo Iji) was determined by the Supreme Court decades ago and reaffirmed in 2017.

For the avoidance of doubt, Dr. George Eneh that is laying claim over Arch. J.J.Emejulu’s land may have forgotten that their late father Chief G.O.D Eneh bought all his land from Umuchigbo Iji, Nike and none from Umuenwene Iji, Nike community. He may have also forgotten the High Court judgment on the boundary between Umuenwene Iji and Umuchigbo Iji community in Suit No. E/247/2015 which stated in paragraph 3 of the Consent Judgment that All Lands from Thinker’s Corner via Old Airport road to Ekochin Hospital, Enugu which contains Airport Road phase IV and V belongs to Umuenwene Iji, Nike community while All Other Land after Ekochin Hospital, Enugu, belongs to Umuchigbo Iji, Nike community. And that in paragraph 5 of the same judgment, it is clearly stated that the said Airport Road Phase IV and V Layouts were duly gazetted as shown in Drg. Nos E/278 and E/294 Town Planning Department, Ministry of Lands and Survey, Enugu State and that they have been bought over by Arch. J.J. Emejulu and that he should now be allowed Peaceful and Quiet Ownership of Same.

We decided to make reference to some these court judgments on the matter in order to put the record straight and to discourage false claimants to the Airport Road Phase IV and V Layout from further vain pursuit. In fact, we will be failing in our duty before God and man if we remain silent over an issue we are deeply involved. We are not complicit in this and do not want further escalation of the matter before it will be wrongly interpreted that Enugu state is treating Arch Emejulu unfairly because he is from Anambra state. We are not oblivious of the consequence of this perception and we are urging those involved to rethink their steps.

Thanks

Mr. Nnaemeka Agu (SAKWE)
Phone No. 08168617752
Secretary, Board of Trustees, Umuenwene Iji, Nike Community