• As Ngor Okpalla Community Petitions National  Assembly
  • Calls For Ends To Alleged Harassment With Soldiers, Police Over Ancestral Land

Fresh controversies have emerged over allegations of land grabbing, intimidation and harassment involving the people of Umueko kindred, Umueme Obike, Ngor Okpala Local Government Area of Imo State, and a prominent All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain, Prince Charles Amadi (Charlvon).

The community has accused Prince Charles Amadi (Charlvon), an indigene of Eziama in Ikeduru Local Government Area and a prominent member of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) of allegedly attempting to dispossess them of their ancestral land through questionable transactions and the use of security operatives.

According to the community, Prince Charles Amadi allegedly acquired more than 550 plots of their ancestral land from persons they described as individuals who are not the rightful heirs or owners of the Umueko Kindred ancestral land in Umueme Obike, Ngor Okpala.

Through their legal counsel, Barrister Chief Emma Ekeh of Nnanyerugo Chambers, Owerri, the community has petitioned the National Assembly (NASS), the Inspector General of Police (IGP), and other security agencies, alleging unlawful acquisition of their ancestral land and calling for urgent intervention.

The petition alleged that Prince Charles Amadi purchased the land from individuals who lacked the legal and customary authority to sell the property, insisting that the transactions were invalid.

In addition, the Umueko Kindred, through their lawyers, instituted legal action before the Customary Court sitting in Umuneke , Ngor- Okpala, against the alleged vendors, namely Messrs Emeka Charles, Chukwuemeka Emegburumonye, ThankGod Emegburumonye, Christian Emegburumonye, Obi Anayo and one Eze Nicholas.

In Suit No. CC/NGO/42/2026, the plaintiffs are seeking several reliefs, including a declaration that any sale, mortgage, pledge or any other form of land transaction carried out without the consent and involvement of the rightful owners of the land is null, void, fraudulent and of no legal effect.

The community also disclosed that, through another team of legal consultants, it has taken the matter to the National Assembly through its representative in the House of Representatives, seeking legislative intervention.

According to the petitioners, the disputed land serves as their only ancestral heritage and source of livelihood, where they cultivate cassava, maintain oil palm plantations and grow other cash crops that sustain the economic wellbeing of the people.

The community further alleged that Prince Charles Amadi, who hails from Eziama in Ikeduru Local Government Area and is the father of the current member representing Mbaitoli and Ikeduru Federal Constituency (MbaIke) in the National Assembly, deployed caterpillars and excavators to clear the land under the protection of armed security personnel without due process or compliance with customary practices governing communal land ownership.

They also alleged that the heavy equipment destroyed their cash crops, economic trees, palm plantations and other agricultural investments, thereby depriving many families of their major source of income.

Speaking with journalists, the President General of the community, Dr Sam Okere, criticised Prince Charles Amadi (Charlvon), alleging that he fell victim to individuals masquerading as legitimate agents of the community who misrepresented themselves in order to make quick money.

Dr Okere stated that Prince Charles Amadi failed to verify the true ownership of the land or consult the recognised leaders and rightful custodians of Umueko Kindred before proceeding with the transactions.

He advised the APC chieftain to seek a refund from those who allegedly deceived him and immediately halt further activities on the disputed land.

“Our Umueko, Umueme Community, Obike, Ngor Okpala, is not selling its ancestral heritage,” he declared.

Also speaking, the oldest man in the community, Elder Gerald Emegburumonye, became visibly emotional while recounting the alleged ordeal facing the people.

He disclosed that the disputed ancestral land, known as Ohia Ukwu Okaa, is a vast expanse of land covering more than 550 plots along the Umueme, Elelem Road in Obike, Ngor -Okpala Local Government Area.

According to him, the land contains valuable economic trees, oil palm plantations, cassava farms and other agricultural investments built over generations by members of the community.

Elder Emegburumonye alleged that despite repeated objections by the indigenous landowners, Prince Charles Amadi allegedly continued the clearing of the land with heavy duty machinery, including caterpillars and excavators.

He further claimed that the operators, acting under the protection of armed security personnel, allegedly dismissed the community’s protests and challenged them to report the matter to any authority they wished.

The community has therefore appealed to the federal government, the National Assembly, security agencies and other relevant authorities to intervene in the matter, investigate the allegations and protect their ancestral land from what they described as unlawful encroachment.

In line with the principles of responsible journalism, our correspondent visited the disputed site to obtain the other side of the story. 

However, no representative was available to speak on behalf of Prince Charles Amadi (Charlvon).

Efforts to reach Prince Charles Amadi for his response to the allegations were unsuccessful as of the time of filing this report”.