Tension is currently brewing in the Ihiala community of Ihiala Local Government Area of Anambra State as seven persons have been declared missing following a land dispute between the family of Martins Okolie of Umuezehi and Edwin Obi, the owner of Edison Motors, even as the latter described the allegation as a tissue of lies.

In a petition signed by the family of Okolie against Chief Edwin Obi, the owner of Edison Motors, which was sent to the Anambra State Police Command and made available to Daily Sun, the family accused the transporter of being responsible for the disappearance of their kinsmen over a land dispute.

According to the petition, the community had been living in fear over a series of abductions and kidnappings, as no fewer than five persons have allegedly been taken away from their homes by yet-to-be-identified persons.

“A former chairman of Ihiala Local Government Area, who’s from the community, Chief Jude Obi, was kidnapped over two years ago and his whereabouts remain unknown since then. A few months ago, a prominent member of the community, Mr Stephen Nneji, was abducted and released after some ransom was allegedly paid. Nneji has fled the community with members of his family.”

However, in a swift change of events, the family further accused Obi of using men of the Anambra State Police Command, purportedly from the IGP Monitoring Squad, to abduct some members of the community, intimidating and harassing others, including their patriarch, Martins Okolie, who is the most senior member of the Umuezehi clan.

According to the petitioner, Obi had allegedly bought land from a member of the kindred, but some members had disputed the sale, saying that it is family land, which was not supposed to have been sold by one person.

“When the issue became contentious and to avoid a breakdown of law and order, the kindred decided to refer the matter to the head (Okpara) for adjudication,” the petitioner said.

“The case arose over a land dispute between family members of Ogumorobi. One of the family members was said to have sold land to Chief Edwin Obi, the owner of Edison Motors, with Mr Kevin Okolie as the agent. However, one family member was said to have objected to the sale, asserting that the land is family land, which should not be disposed of by one person.

“The aggrieved side of the family brought the matter to the family for dispute resolution, as has always been the custom and tradition of the people of Umuejimike in Akwa Ihiala.

“When the family could not resolve the matter amongst themselves, the case was referred to the head (Okpara) of the community, being Evangelist Martins Okolie. A meeting was called by the family head to look into the matter, following which some recommendations were reached. It would be noteworthy that the other party refused to attend the meeting to resolve the dispute.”

However, the petitioner said that in the early hours of Wednesday, 6th March, some hooded armed men stormed the community, and when they couldn’t break into the house of the head of the family, they proceeded to other houses where some men and women were abducted.

“It’s worthy of note that the head of the family wasn’t privy to the sale, nor did he, in any way, benefit therefrom. He was only asked to adjudicate on the matter by leaders of the kindred.”

As of this time, the whereabouts of more than seven persons, both men and women, picked up since Thursday night, 6th March, are unknown. The said Kevin Okolie is said to be bragging that on this matter, he is going to make sure that more persons disappear from the village. It is either he is being used as a smokescreen for the purchaser of the land or he is acting alone.

Meanwhile, the owner of Edison Motors, who is being accused of kidnapping the persons, dismissed the allegation, adding that the petitioners are running from the law because they are not innocent of the allegations levelled against them.

Edwin Obi said he duly bought land from the family and all necessary documents were signed before Chief Martins Okolie came into the picture.

“He is forming illegal court in his house, adjudicating on land matters. He’s not the owner of the land and the land sold is not communal land, but I bought directly from the family, and his grouse was that the family sold the land to an outsider, according to him. He has no title on the land, but he is just a land speculator, and he is the one who is trying to intimidate me, and I had to report the matter to the police, and when police invited them, he started running.

“He has been advised to stay away from the land because he has no title on the land and therefore should not meddle in the land. He has been at large and has been running away from the police since an invitation was extended to him by the police, and others earlier arrested by the police have all been released on bail except him who is running from police invitation.” (Daily Sun)