Journalists escape death as Awka indigenes, police clash in disputed land

Anambra journalists numbering about 14 on Saturday escaped death, when police operatives deployed to a disputed land (Agu Nawgu), shot at Awka indigenes who were protesting the occupation of their land by the operatives.

The indigenes of Awka community, especially from Ezinano area, made of mostly of youths were on a visit to the land, in the company of the journalists, when the police operatives opened fire  on them.

Journalists who were on coverage scampered to safety when the police operatives started shooting to scare the visiting Awka indigenes. They were however calmed by the invading youths who were said to have fortified themselves against bullets, while the journalists fled the scene.

The indigenes of the community said the deployment has stalled development of property on the land, just as it was gathered that the deployment was as a result of previous communal dispute.

A prominent some of the community, Chief Kanayo Obidigbo who joined other indigenes on the inspection accused police authorities in Anambra State of being responsible for the deployment, saying they have displayed manifest interest in the matter, therefore lack neutrality.

Addressing journalists, Obidigbo said: “We are here to inspect Agu Nawgu. This is a land that our great grand parents won in conquest. It is a vast land of about 60 kilometers radius. We grew up to know this land and it has a survey plan of 1949, made by our fathers who were illiterate.

“They gave out the land to Enugwu-Agidi people on rent to be cultivating, but later our forefathers sent them packing when they stopped paying rent.

“The land in question belongs to Ezinano community of Awka, which has about 20 villages. Even the estates you see here belong to Awka people.

“What we are saying is that police presence on our land is unacceptable. The men were sent here by a Deputy Commissioner of Police, whose interest we do not know.

“They have stalled development in this site. I have a building here, but I can’t continue with work because police have occupied the whole place and shooting at us.

“How can our tenants (Enugwu-Agidi community) now become the ones making case with us the landlords, just because police authorities are supporting them.

“Today you saw how police were shooting at us, defenceless Awka indigenes, who have neither stick nor knives. Police claimed that they did not post operatives to our land as they told the IGP, but as you can see now, they sent police to the land, and they were shooting at us as we made to move into the land to inspect it.

“We pray the IG to investigate the police and make them withdraw operatives from that land.”

When journalists reached out to the Anambra State Police Commissioner, CP Aderemi Adeoye, he denied sending police operatives to the disputed land.

He however failed to state who deployed the operatives to the land.