Landowners from Umuezenta, Umuelenwa, and Okpuala villages in Umuomainta Mbawsi, Isiala Ngwa North LGA of Abia State, have given the state government a seven-day ultimatum to revisit the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) and pay full compensation for lands acquired for the ongoing airport project.
At a meeting in Umuomainta on Thursday, the aggrieved landowners accused the government of land grabbing, lamenting that despite repeated announcements of completed payments, many of them are yet to receive compensation.
The affected communities, largely made up of farmers, said their farmlands and cash crops had been cleared without proper settlement, stressing that the practice contradicted standard procedure where compensation is paid before work commences.
The Village Head of Umuezenta, Echezolam Ukaumunna, described the situation as frustrating, noting that although the governor announced on May 31 that 100 percent of landowners had been compensated, only about 10 percent had actually received payment. He warned that the neglect was fueling youth restiveness in Nsulu and destroying livelihoods.
He further decried alleged harassment by security agents and the felling of palm trees and other cash crops without due compensation, accusing successive administrations of sidelining the communities for over two decades.
Other landowners, including Mrs. Theresa Madu and Mr. Isaac Ndukwe, condemned the destruction of last year’s farm produce and alleged that workers clearing the airport site often seize and resell uprooted crops instead of returning them to owners.
The youth leader of Umuelenwa, Mr. Ozioma Agbakwuru, clarified that the communities were not against the airport project but insisted that the government must honor its compensation obligations. He argued that less than 10 percent of affected families had been paid, and the MoU guiding the land acquisition had not been fully implemented.
The landowners warned that if their demands are not met within seven days, they would return to occupy their lands, stating they are no longer afraid of the consequences.
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