14 Anambra journalists narrowly escaped death when police operatives deployed to disputed land (Agu Nawgu) fired shots at Awka indigenes who were protesting the occupation of their land by the operatives on Saturday.
The Awka indigenes, predominantly youths from the Ezinano area, were visiting the land in the company of the journalists when the police operatives opened fire on them.
Journalists covering the event quickly sought safety as the police operatives began shooting to intimidate the visiting Awka indigenes.
They were, however, reassured by the invading youths, who had reportedly fortified themselves against bullets while the journalists fled the scene.
Members of the community expressed that the deployment had impeded the development of property on the land. It was gathered that the deployment was a result of a previous communal dispute.
A prominent figure from the community, Chief Kanayo Obidigbo, who joined other indigenes on the inspection, accused the police authorities in Anambra State of being responsible for the deployment, alleging a lack of neutrality.
Addressing journalists, Obidigbo stated, “We are here to inspect Agu Nawgu. This is a land that our great-grandparents won in conquest, a vast land spanning about 60 kilometres radius. We grew up knowing this land, and it has a survey plan from 1949 made by our illiterate fathers.
“They initially leased the land to Enugwu-Agidi people for cultivation. However, our forefathers evicted them when they stopped paying rent.
“The land in question belongs to the Ezinano community of Awka, which comprises 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 on this site. I have a building here, but I can’t continue work because the police have occupied the whole place and are shooting at us.
“How can our tenants (Enugwu-Agidi community) now become the ones making a case against us, the landlords, just because police authorities are supporting them?
“Today, you saw how the police were shooting at us, defenseless Awka indigenes who have neither sticks nor knives. The police claimed 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 attempted to move into the land to inspect it.
“We urge the IG to investigate the police and compel them to 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. However, he failed to disclose who deployed the operatives to the land.
