Anger and tension are escalating in Mgbowo, a farming community in Awgu Local Government Area of Enugu State, following the alleged forceful takeover of ancestral farmlands by suspected land grabbers, an action residents warn could trigger a communal crisis.
The disputed land, known as Ugwunzu Ezioha, was reportedly invaded on December 10, 2025, when heavy-duty machinery moved in and destroyed cultivated farmlands in broad daylight. According to accounts from community sources, crops worth millions of naira were destroyed, displacing numerous indigenous farmers who depend on the land for survival.
Eyewitnesses said three bulldozers were deployed to the site, clearing farmlands that had been cultivated over several farming seasons. Community members described the action not as development, but as a deliberate attack on their economic lifeline.
Reacting to the incident, the Mgbowo Stakeholders Forum accused unnamed interests of orchestrating what it described as an assault on livelihoods and governance.
The Forum stated that the operation was carried out without notice, consultation, or consent from landowners or community authorities. Farmers who pleaded for time to harvest already-matured crops were reportedly ignored as the bulldozers continued their operation.
The group further accused those behind the action of bypassing traditional authority. According to the Forum, His Royal Highness, Igwe Greg Ikwuagwu Ituma (Onyima II) of Ekpulato Mgbowo Autonomous Community confirmed that no government agency, ministry, or private developer sought the palace’s consent before entering the land.
Attention also turned to the Chairman of Awgu Local Government Area, Hon. Uchenna Okolo, whom the community accused of failing to intervene despite being alerted. The Forum alleged that the Chairman relied on an unverified claim by the leader of the invading group, Mr. Kingsley Okeke, who purportedly asserted ownership of a 99-year Federal Government lease over the land without producing any documentation.
The Forum expressed outrage that such claims were accepted without verification, describing the Chairman as morally and administratively complicit by omission, endorsement, or silence.
The crisis reportedly worsened when attempts to seek police intervention failed. Affected farmers alleged that the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) of Awgu Division declined to formally document their complaint, a development the Forum warned could push citizens toward self-help and threaten public order.
The stakeholders also questioned the sudden availability of the land for alleged private acquisition, noting that the same parcel had previously been offered to the state government for an agricultural programme but was rejected on the grounds that it was designated for an Awgu Games Village extension.
Citing provisions of the Land Use Act, the community maintained that land acquired for public use but later abandoned or diverted automatically reverts to the host community.
With tensions rising, community leaders said they had sent a Save Our Souls (SOS) appeal to Governor Peter Ndubuisi Mbah, urging immediate intervention to prevent the situation from degenerating into violence.
While commending the restraint shown by Mgbowo youths, the leaders warned that continued inaction could have grave consequences. They are demanding an immediate halt to all activities at Ugwunzu Ezioha, a full investigation into the conduct of the Awgu Local Government Chairman, and compensation for farmers whose crops and livelihoods were destroyed.
