By Emman Ovuakporie & Johnbosco Agbakwuru

ABUJA—The House of Representatives has told the Ministry of Defence and Chief of Defence Staff to direct the Chief of Army Staff to restrict the General Officer Commanding 82 Division of the Nigerian Army from occupying a portion of land situated at Idodo, Mbulu-Owo in Owo community of Nkanu East Local Government Area of Enugu State.

This is as the Enugu State Government has said that the joint inspection it had with a team from 82 Division of the Nigerian Army to ascertain the claims of the acquisitions of the said land, revealed that “no beacons that correspond with the ones in the survey plans submitted by the Nigeria Army were found.”

The state government through Enugu State Ministry of Land and Urban Development, represented by Mr. Paul Nnaji, at the investigative hearing on the matter, further said: “That the position of the ministry on the matter is that the Nigeria Army is not the legal owner of the land and cannot prove so as there are no official documents to support the claims of the respondent.”

The House’s directives were contained in the report it adopted sequel to a petition to it by Mbulu-Owo community through Chukwuemeka Ujam, which was obtained by Vanguard in Abuja.

According to the petition, the intention of the Army to occupy the area will amount to unwarranted invasion, displacement and a threat to eject the people of the community.

However, the Nigerian Army, in its response, submitted that the land was acquired by the force in the 1960s and 1970s, with the Army’s representatives, Major General A. B. Abubakar, saying the land had been encroached on by unidentified persons who were setting up beacons on it.

However, the Nkem-Abonta-led Public Petitions Committee, in its findings, said: “The joint inspection tour of Mbulu Owo in Owo community of Nkanu East Local Government of Enugu State by officials of Enugu State Ministry of Lands and Urban Development; and Nigeria Army 82 Division Enugu, revealed that the land in dispute has no beacons, which corresponds with the ones on the Survey Plan the respondent presented to the ministry.

“The Committee also notes that the position of Enugu State Ministry of Lands and Development on the matter is that it had no document or was aware of any acquisition transaction on the land in dispute between the parties.”