The last may not have been heard about the recent recovery of the legally and officially gazetted land of the Federal University of Technology, Owerri, FUTO from suspected illegal encroachers and land grabbers; as the resistance from them have taken a frightening dimension.
Apart from allegedly demolishing the fencing under construction by the federal government, there is an alleged threat on the life and wellbeing of the FUTO Vice Chancellor and others if fencing project continues.
This newspaper was informed that apparently angered by the move to recover the property of the institution the desperate land grabbers and cohorts are reported to be attempting to apply underhand practices to stop the fencing project.
It was learnt that a huge sum of money running into millions and other logistics were suspected to have been mobilised for the hoodlums who carried out the demolition of the fence on Sunday night as suspects may have also been detailed to do more dastardly acts against shortlisted persons being accused of standing against their illegal land grabbing business.
Already fear has gripped the university over reports that the FUTO Vice Chancellor, some of the management staff, some of officials of the state government, the contractor handling the fencing of the university community and his workers, others, including stakeholders and indigenes of the host communities who are in support of the land recovery for the collective interest of the University and host Communities before the federal and state governments are targets.
Though, the newspaper couldn’t verify these allegations, but based on the issue of threat threat to the lives of the aforementioned persons, the concerned indigenes of the host Community through is calling on the federal and State through the state governor and the Imo State Commissioner of Police to come for protection of lives and property including those involved in the recovery of FUTO land.
A suspected Community and Political leader, said to have held positions in the past was alleged to have sponsored a group of women and hoodlums from Obinze and Dindi localities of Owerri West to protest against the Senator Hope Uzodinma led Imo State Government, in a smart move to divert attention and cover up.
