The traditional ruler of Nawfia and Umunri in Njikoka Local Government Area of Anambra State, Igwe Chijioke Nwankwo, on Friday said certain non-indigenes residing in his community were threatening to kill him over land matters.
Speaking with Southern City News in his palace, Igwe Nwankwo said a certain Ezego, who the monarch said purportedly acquired indigene ship of the community in 1982 was leading other land grabbers in the community to partition and sell a parcel of land donated by the community to the government in 1961 for the building of a secondary school.
The monarch said when he came into the matter and stopped further sale of the land, the Ezego and his cohorts came after his life.
Igwe Nwankwo, who said greater portion of the land belonged to his ancestry, alleged that “It is a conspiracy between Ezego and those who think they have money.”
Continuing, he said, “My life is in danger over this matter, but I will not relent because nobody can deprive my people of their entitlements under my watch.
“Ezego is not an indigene of Nawfia. If they are indigenes, they wouldn’t have applied to join any family in Nawfia in 1982 to patent their stay in the community.
“I have written a revocation letter to Bishop of Awka Diocese cancelling everything about the contract of the land because they have violated every term of the contract we entered with them in 1961.
“Sooner or later, we shall reclaim our property through the court for punitive damages. They have sent thugs several times to come and kill me because of this issue, but that will not deter me.
“You don’t stop going to war because someone will die. Death is inevitable. It can come in form of assassination or natural cause. I want to fight this war to deter people from trying to get what does not belong to them. It will be a landmark case,” the monarch said.
Asked whether he had reported the matter to the police and the Anambra State Government, Igwe Nwankwo said, “I don’t know the much government can do in the circumstance because the school in question was handed over to the Anglican Church by the Peter Obi administration.
“That was why we wrote the church on the development but for two years now, they didn’t deem it necessary to reply our petition. The police have no jurisdiction on land matters. So, every other thing should wait until a court of competent jurisdiction establishes the rightful owner of the land.
“What I have personally done is not to allow the issue to go out of hand by restraining the youth of the community from resorting to self-help. But they have continually hired thugs to threaten my life. I have evidence for this, which I won’t make public now for obvious reasons.”
When contacted on the telephone for his reaction on the issue, the Awka Diocese Public Affairs Officer of the Anglican Church, Dr. Felix Uzor, said he was not disposed to talk because he was in a function in Onitsha.
