The people of Owo community in Enugu State, Nigeria, have taken to the streets to protest the Nigerian Army’s attempt to take over their ancestral land.
The community, which has lived on the land for over 300 years, claims that the army has no right to the land and is using intimidation tactics to force them out.
The protest, which has heightened tension in the area saw the natives carrying placards with different inscriptions such as ” remove soldiers restore peace, ‘Owo land is not barracks’, stop the Invasion, Respect the constitution, Say No to Military Land Grabbing’.
Addressing journalists during the protest, the traditional ruler, Igwe Gabriel Arum, said the invasion of the community took place for the first time in November 2015, when the community wake up to a rude shock with their buildings marked, “Removed, Army Land keep Off’.
Igwe Arum said they wrote on behalf of the community to the GOC of the 82 Division of the Nigerian Army immediately in the same November, requesting him to remove the soldiers he stationed there.
Continuing, Igwe Arum said whey they could not get a a positive response from the 82 Division authorities, they wrote to the Enugu state government and the state House of Assembly , calling for their intervention, describing the situation as a case of annihilation and an invasion of a whole community which is unknown to law and is unheard of.
Igwe Arum added that when all entreaties failed , they took the case to the National Assembly where the army was asked to stay away from the land as they could not provide any document to back their claimed ownership of the land.
Igwe Gabriel Arum further told journalists that the army stayed off after the intervention until April 2025 when they returned prompting the community to approach the court where they got injunction in suit number e/ 375/2025 against the Nigerian Army.
He disclosed that the Enugu state high court presided over by Justice C O Ajah issued a restraining order against the Nigerian Army ordering them to stay off the land pending the final determination of the suit .
“Except in a case of military conquest, where after conquering, you possibly annex it and make it part of your own, but this is not the case here” Igwe stated.
Igwe Arum alleged that the army operatives have been attacking his people demolishing ongoing projects and chasing investors away from their town.
This move has been met with resistance from the community, who argue that they have never given out any portion of their land to the army.
The protest, which was peaceful, drew participants of all ages, including the elderly and young people. They carried placards with messages such as “Army Owo has no boundary with you” and “Army leave our land for us”.
The community is seeking the intervention of Governor Peter Mbah of Enugu State and President Ahmed Tinubu to help resolve the issue. Notably, the land in dispute includes the governor’s house and his father’s house.
This is not the first time the community has protested the army’s actions. In 2016, the House of Representatives intervened in the matter, directing the Ministry of Defence and the Chief of Defence Staff to restrict the army from occupying the land.
Despite several interventions, including a court injunction restraining the army from entering the land, the community claims that the army has continued to harass and intimidate them.
The Enugu State High Court had ruled in favor of the community, with Justice C.O. Ajah issuing an injunction against the army. However, the army has allegedly disregarded the court order and continued to occupy the land.
The community is calling on the government to respect their rights and protect them from the army’s aggression. They demand that the army produce evidence of ownership of the land, which they claim does not exist.
The protest highlights the ongoing struggle between communities and the military in Nigeria, with many communities facing similar challenges in protecting their ancestral lands.
