Residents of Umuoyima Autonomous Community in Owerri Municipal LGA, Imo State, have raised alarm over what they described as an attempted forceful takeover of their ancestral land.

The community accused the contractor of Cudoc Construction Company Limited of encroaching far beyond the portion allegedly approved by the state government for construction activities.

During a peaceful protest, the aggrieved villagers displayed placards with inscriptions such as “Cudoc is working with enemies of the Government,” “Natives paid 4 million into TSA for this land,” “We have our complete title for this land,” and “Government, we can’t breathe—ask Cudoc to let us live.” among others.

A symbolic coffin was also displayed with the inscription: “Chinedu Chukwuonye Cudoc is sabotaging APC.”

Speaking to newsmen, the Secretary-General of the Elders’ Council, Elder Charles Ucheoma, said the government had instructed the community to allow the company to take 35 meters from the river bank for its project.

According to him, the villagers complied, only to discover that the contractor, Chinedu Chukwuonye allegedly extended the encroachment into 170 meters, which covers their titled land.

“The government measured this land before giving it to us. From the river to the road is 170 meters. If he takes 35 meters as instructed, we still have 135 meters. But he has abandoned the directive and is now trying to take the entire land,” Ucheoma lamented.

He further disclosed that the land has valid documents from the Ministry of Lands issued since 2021, expressing shock that the contractor was allegedly attempting to override the government’s allocation.

Ucheoma added that several petitions had been submitted to ministries and relevant agencies, but the encroachment persisted, forcing the community to embark on protest actions.

“We planted a palm frond yesterday as a traditional warning, but he ignored it. Today, we brought a coffin to symbolize that anyone forcefully taking our land is calling death upon himself,” he explained.

The community also alleged that the contractor destroyed already fenced portions of the land, as well as crops including vegetables, plantain, banana, cassava and economic trees belonging to the villagers.

“We have tried every peaceful means to stop him to no avail. The community is angry over what he is doing, and so we are telling him to stay clear from our land, and also call on the Government to call him to order”.

Mr. Ikechukwu Nze, another community member, described the situation as painful, stressing that the land serves as a major source of livelihood for many families.

“We suffered to acquire and develop this land. Many of our people farm here. Now it is about to be taken from us. We don’t want to take laws into our hands, so we plead with the government to intervene,” he said.

A woman leader, Mrs. Fidelia Uzoma, also appealed for urgent government action, noting that proceeds from the land help them train their children and sustain their households.

“We have supported the government all through. Please do not allow the women of Umuoyima to cry because of this land,” she pleaded.

The community urged the Imo State Government to urgently caution the contractor and ensure that he restricts himself to the portion approved for the project.