..Says Empower Using Divide and Rule Strategy…
The Ugwuto Community in Udi Local Government Area of Enugu State has faulted the legal representative of Enpower Energy Ltd, Ricky Agu on his assertion that there was a tripartite agreement on the disputed land, between the state government, Enpower Energy Ltd and Oildata Integrated Construction Company, which he claimed was signed in 2009.
Addressing journalists on Monday, Elder Emmanuel Agu, an indigene from Ugwuto Community, said the purported agreement was a figment of imagination of Lawyer Agu, insisting that they don’t know the identities of Enpower and Oildata Integrated Construction Company.
Recall that Barrister Agu had in a recent media briefing stated, “The agreement says that the Enugu State government intends to develop a private public sector partnership for the attraction of investment into Enugu.
“Government as custodian of the governor mandate, has full powers and authority to enter into and carry out the provisions of this joint venture agreement. Government has the power to acquire land for public good while the operator has the necessary technical knowhow and experience.
But the Community while vehemently dismissing the contentions of Lawyer Agu noted that if government wants to acquire land there is a process.
They recalled how Barrister Agu came to the community sometime ago, swearing an oath with his shoes pulled off, saying that there was injustice against the community on issue concerning the disputed land.
“How come the same Barrister Agu suddenly made a U-turn to tell the media that the allegation of land grabbing is a lie, it is so unfortunate. The soil which he swore to is a witness”, the Octogenarian lamented.
The community also debunked the allegation by Lawyer Agu that Government acquired the land and used it as its equity to attract investments.
“The claim by Barrister Agu that when operations start on the land that the joint venture will pay to the community 5% or whatever equity is due them is a scam. Ugwuto community is not a co-owner of Enpower and the information that some of us in the community do not want the people of the community to know about it is a divide and rule game to create problem in the community so that we cannot speak with one voice “, he said.
“Let us make it clear, we do not
have issues with the state government. The Enpower Energy Ltd and Oildata integrated Construction company are companies owned by the Engr Emeka Ene from Umuabi Udi and we are calling on Governor Peter Mbah to intervene to save us from these scammers.
“The plot by Enpower Energy Ltd to unlawfully take over our land began as far back as 2019. The issue is already in court yet the Managing Director of the company has continued to encroach on our land with impunity.
“The people called Enpower came to our land without authorization and began to destroy our crops. They came with bulldozer. The land is called ‘Ugwuto Hilltop Layout’ and the invasion on the land started six years ago. They claim that the government gave them certificate of occupancy over the land but that certificate of occupancy they are carrying doesn’t have Ugwuto Hilltop layout in it, how come they claim ownership of our land? The land is located in between Toll gate and RCC along Enugu/Onitsha Express road, Udi LG Area, Enugu State.
This same scammer called Ricky Agu, was aware when the Enpower wrote to the office in Lagos of one of the members of the community describing him as an arsonist all in a bid to get him sacked, simply because he requested that proper community engagement be done. The person in question is ready to talk, if called to do so.
Ricky Agu had also boasted that Enpower with their money and connection can manipulate even the court, police and the government to get whatever they want. No wonder they are still invading our land with impunity irrespective of court order telling them to stop going to the land. This scammer Ricky Agu is aware that Enpower had in writing told Ugwuto Community that they are not government and wrote application to Ugwuto community to give them land.
Ricky Agu and Enpower can simply be described as scam personalised.
“The matter which is pending in court was adjourned to December 19, 2025, yet they are still in our land destroying our crops. We have other government projects in our land such as Water Reservoir, International Market but we are not complaining. But these people called Enpower, we don’t know them. This our stand has always been consistent both in monthly, annual and ordinary meetings.
Also, Hon. Emeka Joshua Ozochi, an indigene of the Community and former LG candidate said, “They will come and arrest innocent people just to intimidate them with 9th Mile police and DRS”.
“The land we are talking about, government approved it for us. There is master plan and survey plan. The government gave us numbers with which is known as “Ugwuto Hilltop Layout” and all the fees needed to be paid were paid by this community to the government of Enugu State.
“This is a community that is peace loving. We do not want to take laws into our hands if not, the story won’t be same. This matter is in court and the Enugu State SSG Prof. Chidiebere Onyia asked the Enpower people to commence work on the land even when there’s a court order barring them from working there.
“But there are some people in government who are in the know of what the man is doing. The local government chairman Hon Hyginus Ogbonna Agu is aware of it because the life of our President-General is at risk. They have threatened him and the last was at 9th mile corner where they pursued him and it was by the grace of God that he escaped.
“It may also be noted that Ugwuto Community has donated vast land to Enugu State government without any compensation till date. Ugwuto donated land for Enugu international market, twin tank that supplies water to Enugu metropolis, Ebeano bypass, ancient Igbo pyramids and Virgin forest (Ọshụa Uto). All these land were donated by Ugwuto community without any compensation yet from the government. It may interest you to also know that even though the twin tanks supplying water to Enugu metropolis are located on our land, the community does not have a tap water after over four decades of donating the land for the project”, he stated.
