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The land owners of the proposed site for the Abia Airport Project at Nsulu in Isiala Ngwa North Local Government Area have urged the state government to halt every activity on the Abia Airport Project pending the conclusion of the ongoing peaceful negotiation between the host communities and the government.
They insisted that the stay of execution order granted by the State High Court be fully implemented forthwith to allow all parties involved come to terms with the exact size of the land.
An Abia State High Court sitting in Okpuala Ngwa jurisdiction, Isiala Ngwa North, had on December 20, 2024, granted a stay of execution order against the State Government over the land acquired for the Abia Airport Project at Nsulu. Justice Enyinnaya Okezie who presided over the suit filed by representatives of the affected Nsulu host communities in Isiala Ngwa North Local Government Area for the proposed Abia Airport project granted the stay of execution order.
Addressing the Court on February 18, 2025, at the resumed hearing of Suit No. HIN/62/2024, at the state High Court, Okpuala Ngwa, the Legal Representative of the affected Nsulu Host Communities, Chukwuemeka Nwaogu expressed gratitude of the Nsulu people on the order of the Court, which he said, has brought sanity as the parties have started the process of discussion, and thanked the defendants ( Abia state government) for abiding by the pronouncment of the Court as the parties are discussing with the people; Abia state government on one side and the host communities, led by Dr. Max Nduaguibe on the other side, albeit, not sure the level of progress made so far.
“I may not report in reality the position of the peaceful settlement but it’s in progress and ongoing”, Nwaogu told the Court.
Reacting, counsel for the state government, Ngozi Onwugbufor, from the Ministry of Justice, Civil Litigation Department, Abia State Ministry of Justice told the Court that the issue of negotiation is not what he would go into details because, he was not properly informed on the position but quickly added that he would appreciate a peaceful negotiation.
“If negotiation is going on, I will appreciate the peaceful negotiation.”
The matter was adjourned to March 25, 2025 to report on the progress of negotiations. The counsel to Nsulu host communities, Chukwuemeka Nwaogu while speaking to newsmen said the stay of execution order made by the Court on December 20, 2024 against Abia state government not to clear the land or displace the land owners still subsists but happy that negotiations are still on going by both parties until they return to Court on March 25, 2025.
On his part, Village Head of the Host Communities and Land Owners that include Ikputu, Umuikeocha Umuode, Umuezeukwu, Umuogu, Uwaomaikoo Umuosu, Umuata Umuosu, Umule Umuosu, Okpulorukwu Umuosu, Umuogele Umuosu, Umuodeche, Ubaha, Umuala, Umuezenta Nbawsi, Mbubo, and Umuomainta Nbawsi, Engr. Ikechukwu Uche pointed out that they had observed with dismay that despite the subsisting court order, the state government had continued activities on the land, including cutting paths and enumeration, even when agreements were not reached, and the actual size of the land not yet known by the land owners.
“It’s only when you know the size of the land that enumeration of land owners within that catchment area can start”, but they are always quick to take actions that can cause breach of peace.”
He called on Abia state government, the Chief of staff to the Governor, Pastor Caleb Ajagba and the Special Assistant to the Governor on Lands and Housing who doubles as the Project Co-ordinator of the Abia Airport Project, Pastor Okorougo Aji to follow due process, insisting that the actual size of the Land and it’s map should be officially communicated to them, which he said would give the host communities the latitude to engage their own private Surveyor to ascertain the size as claimed by the government.
He therefore, asked the Abia state government team to stop the enumeration until the actual size of the land is determined.
Another community leader, Echezolam Ukaumunna, admonished the state government to uphold the sanctity of the judiciary by halting all engagements concerning the land until the official release of the land mass by the government and the endorsement of the land mass by Nsulu people through negotiations, and not by force, he concluded.
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