John Nwaigwe
Nsulu Airport Land Owners Allege RIP -OFF by Estate Valuers, Accuse Chukwumerije, Ministry of Land Staff.
Calls for probe as compensation payment trickles
A legal practitioner and indigene of Nsulu, Isiala Ngwa North LGA of Abia state, Bar. Chinedu Adikwu, has called on the Governor, Dr. Alex Otti to investigate the state Commissioner for Lands and Housing, Chief Chaka Chukwumerije and the staff of the Ministry of lands for an alleged rip – off of land owners by the unsolicited involvement of strange Estate Valuers and willfully creating, selecting and imposing certain named persons and corporate entities like Nnanji O.AA. Nnaji, Osama Associates, Welly and Associates, Rawlings Ehumadu, Ken Ahuruonye, Ogechi Associates etc to coerce the Abia Airport land owners into donating their powers, rights and privileges in relation to compensation due them arising from the state’s acquisition of their lands for purposes of the airport project and a payment of 10% on each plot of land.
In a release made available to newsmen in Umuahia, Barr. Adikwu said, many of the landowners (including those who have been paid compensation and those yet to receive payment) have cried out to him over the imposition of the power of attorney which specifically entitles proxy attorneys to receive monetary compensation on their behalf.
” It is interesting to note that: Abia state government, over the past few months informed the land owners and the general public that ALL ACTUAL LAND OWNERS will be paid compensation directly without involving any third parties, only for the land owners to see strange fellows, mostly non-indigenes of Abia with unverified offices in Abuja, neglecting resident Abia Estate Valuers who presented already prepared Powers of Attorney stating that all such land owners MUST append their signatures, engaging multiple unknown companies and individuals as representatives for purposes of compensation, the statement read”.
” The land owners further allege that: the acquisition process does not require any third parties as there is absolutely NO ROLE to be performed by third parties”
He therefore called on Governor Alex Otti to act swiftly to prevent Ndi Nsulu from being shortchanged by land merchants and wondered if such powers vested on the ” money grabbers ” was contained in the MoU – Memorandum of understanding or a private arrangements with some government officials to use proxies to take their money through the back door on the behest of the Commissioner for Lands.
Bar. Adikwu states that the people of Nsulu remain appreciative of Dr. Alex Otti for citing the Airport Project in Nsulu land and for the unprecedented developmental projects witnessed in Abia since he assumed office in May 2023 and urged him not to allow people with fraudulent intentions to rubbish his giiant strides in infrastructural development and other economic enhancement programmes of his administration.
While calling for the probe, Barr. Adikwu asked for a disbandment of the gang and a refund of money collected from Landowners already paid as it is said to be deducted from source, while stating he full support to the New Abia mantra because it changing our narrative as Ndi Abia positively, the release added.
