Reps order halt to disputed land development in Imo

By Gift Chapi Odekina, Abuja

The House of Representatives Committee on Public Petitions has ordered a halt to further development on a disputed parcel of land in Umundoche community, Ngor Okpala Local Government Area of Imo State, pending the resolution of a petition alleging illegal land acquisition and intimidation of residents.

The committee also directed that armed men allegedly operating in the community be disarmed following claims that villagers had been threatened with firearms amid the dispute.

The directives were issued on Wednesday during a hearing on Petition No. 901 of 2026, filed by J.U. Okoye Chambers against Prince Charles Amadi, also known as Chavon; Chikadibia Anyanwu; and Chidubem Nwosu.

The petition alleges the illegal acquisition of more than 2,500 hectares of land, shooting and attempted murder of villagers, the invasion of the community by armed men, desecration of a corpse, abuse of police powers and breach of a memorandum of understanding.

The petition also names HRH Eze Lambert Unuoha, traditional ruler of Nma 1 of Obioma Autonomous Community in Ngor Okpala, as a respondent.

Addressing the parties, the committee chairman, who was represented by his deputy, Rep. Matthew Nwogu, directed that no further activity should take place on the disputed land until the matter was resolved through the committee or other appropriate means.

“There are orders that no more actions on this land until this matter is resolved,” the chairman said.

“Either through this place, or through which other means you want to resolve it. That’s the first order. No more putting up caterpillars or bulldozers in that land.”

He said the committee had contacted the Department of State Services (DSS) and the police, which, according to him, denied supplying firearms to the men allegedly operating in the community.

“All the boys that are armed in that village should be disarmed. Because we have made contact with the DSS. They said they didn’t give them the gun. The police said they didn’t,” he said.

The chairman said the directives were intended to prevent further escalation while the committee examined the allegations.

The hearing featured disagreements among lawyers representing the parties over the status of a pending court case and whether the committee should continue considering the petition.

Counsel to Charles Farms Limited, identified during the proceedings as one of the parties involved in the dispute, told the committee that his clients had legally acquired the land and paid the relevant parties.

He rejected the allegations in the petition and disclosed that his clients had instituted legal proceedings against the petitioners.

According to him, he wrote to the committee on September 28, 2026, explaining his clients’ position and providing details of the court proceedings.

He, however, acknowledged that he had not brought the supporting court documents to the hearing.

The committee chairman said a letter and oral explanations were insufficient, demanding certified documentary evidence to establish the status of the case.

The lawyer subsequently undertook to organise the documents he had received, certify the necessary papers and submit them to the committee.

A committee member, intervening in the exchange, cautioned against allowing the existence of a court case to automatically terminate the legislative investigation.

He said the committee had a constitutional responsibility to consider petitions submitted to it, adding that the scope of the court proceedings would have to be examined before determining whether they covered all the issues raised in the petition.

“That a matter is in court does not immediately stop us from doing our duty. This is a constitutional committee. One of the very few committees written into the Nigerian constitution,” the lawmaker said.

He urged the parties to respect the committee’s procedures and allow the petitioners an opportunity to present their grievances.

“Tomorrow he might be the one petitioning this National Assembly over an issue. So let us respect processes, respect our constitution. And then respect the will of the people who have come here to seek justice,” he added.

The lawmaker also urged the committee to give the respondents time to file formal responses, noting that the proceedings would benefit from documentary evidence from both sides.

Petitioners allege intimidation of villagers

Counsel to the petitioners, Dr Julius Onyemi, told the committee that efforts had been made to resolve the dispute before the matter was brought before the House.

He said the first petition was submitted on July 17, 2026, followed by another on August 14 and a subsequent petition later that month.

Onyemi alleged that he had made several attempts to contact the respondents to resolve the dispute with the community but was unsuccessful.

He further alleged that the court action was initiated after the petitions had been submitted to the House and suggested that it was intended to frustrate the committee’s proceedings.

The lawyer also accused the respondents of using security personnel and armed men to intimidate residents and prevent them from accessing their community.

He urged the committee to ensure that the alleged intimidation stopped while the petition was being considered.

Onyemi questioned the circumstances surrounding the land acquisition and called on the parties to demonstrate compliance with customary land acquisition procedures.

He also raised concerns about the environmental implications of the proposed development, asking whether an environmental impact assessment had been conducted and made available to the community.

The lawyer argued that residents had a right to be consulted over activities that could affect their land and environment.

The respondents’ representatives disputed the allegations, maintaining that the land had been legally acquired. The claims remain subject to the committee’s investigation.

Committee demands video evidence

During the hearing, one of the respondents’ representatives challenged claims that armed men had visited the community and threatened residents.

He said he had been in the area since Monday and disputed claims that he was present at the location where the alleged incident occurred.

He offered to provide his flight itinerary and hotel booking details to support his account.

The chairman subsequently asked the parties to provide any available video or photographic evidence to establish what happened.

He said the committee was interested in examining the available evidence rather than relying solely on conflicting oral accounts.

The chairman reiterated that further development on the disputed land must stop and that armed men allegedly involved in intimidating residents must be disarmed.

The committee adjourned the matter until November 2026 to allow the respondents to study the petition, prepare their formal responses and submit the necessary documentary evidence.

The hearing formed part of the committee’s consideration of the petition seeking intervention over the disputed land in Umundoche community, Imo State.

The allegations have not been established as findings of fact. The respondents maintain that the land was legally acquired, while the committee is yet to conclude its investigation.

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