.Accuses Traducers A Land Grabbers
Imo State Commissioner for Lands, Mr. Noble Atulegwu has cleared the air over allegations of the state government’s forceful takeover of some community lands.
The Commissioner made the clarification during a media interaction with Journalists in his office, at the State Secretariat.
Atulegwu noted that his ministry followed all the due process including the payment of all agreed sums for Omenala in places where it had interest.
He also informed Imo people that illegal acquisition of lands and the forging of land documents are now a thing of the past in the state.
Commissioner Atulegwu said since he took over the affairs of the ministry, its internally generated revenue has leapfrogged from 15 – 18million naira to over 100million naira monthly, without funds realized from the sale of allocations forms.
While reacting on allegations of the state government’s forceful takeover of some community lands , the land boss said the attention of government has been brought to a recent demonstration by few dubious individuals whose only stock in trade is land grabbing and other illicit businesses.
His words,” We would have ignored the said scanty protest knowing fully well that the traditional ruler and leaders of the community distanced themselves from the disgraceful act but for the sake of some members of the public who may be deceived by the false narratives being dished out by these criminal element, we have deemed it fit to state the fact as it were.
“Government under Rochas Okorocha acquired the Okuku land and paid adequate compensation to the land owners long before this time.
“The present government in her quest to sanitise lands administration in the state were saddled with a lot of complaints from various quaters including Okuku people over the way and manner the former government acquired their lands.
“The shared prosperity government under the leadership of Sen. Hope Uzodimma through the ministry of lands went back and paid for the second time all necessary fees including Omenala to the people of Okuku with firm assurance that they will get their compensatory plots for those who haven’t gotten theirs.
“Prior to this time, some unscrupulous elements connived with one Prince Paschal Nwaneri (AKA) Akanawu who claimed to have acquired some portion of the land and started selling it to the unsuspecting public.
“Government having advertised for land allocation for Imo people went into the acquired areas in Okuku and other places for the purpose of clearing, percolating and designing the layouts for development.
“Those protesting are some of the youths who sold government lands to unsuspecting individuals who are now on their necks to refund the money illegal extorted from them.
“Finally, government will not submit to blackmail and will not fail to deal decisively in accordance with the law with anybody or group violating the laws of the land.”
