Enugu community may sue Army over land

Ugwuaji community in Enugu State has threatened to sue the Nigeria Army over the alleged role of some officers from the 82 Division, Enugu, in a land tussle.

The community alleged that some officers from the Division received plots of the land under litigation from Ogui people, adding that soldiers have already demolished some structures existing on the plots.

In a petition to the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt.-Gen. Azubuike Ihejirika, signed by its counsel, Nwabueze Ugwu, and copied the General Officer Commanding, 82 Division, the community said it would go to court if the army fails to call the officers to order.

The said land, Ugwu claims, belongs to the community following an earlier suit that was determined in its favour. He told the COAS that his clients had earlier called the attention of the GOC of 82 Division but the efforts yielded no result.

'After this initial report to the 82 Division GOC, these army men were withdrawn but subsequently returned,' he said. 'They usually come to the scene in a Hilux van that has no number plates while the men themselves wear no name tags, thereby making their identification impossible.'

According to him, the said land was a subject of an earlier disposed suit between his clients and their neighbours, Amagu Obeagu Awkunanaw people, which his clients won.

Ugwu explained that after the disposal of the suit, the Ogui people decided to contend for the land in court, expressing dismay that some military people who were aware of the pending suit received some plots of the land from Ogui people.