How Federal Lawmaker, Ogah Snatches Village Land in Ebonyi

A wave of anger and fear has swept through Agubata, Item Amagu, in Ikwo Local Government Area of Ebonyi State, where villagers accuse the Member Representing Ezza South/Ikwo Federal Constituency, Rt. Hon. Chinedu Ogah, of forcibly taking over their ancestral lands in what they describe as a brazen land grab.

Residents claim that the lawmaker, leveraging his political power, has seized more than a thousand hectares of farmland with no compensation and no legal documentation, leaving many families stranded and dispossessed.

In an interview, a businessman from the community, speaking for other villagers under condition of anonymity, described how the lawmaker allegedly swooped in and took control of vast tracts of land that have been passed down through generations.

“This is not just about my father’s land,” the source said. “Many families were affected. He took land that spans across the entire Agubata area. Nobody gave him this land. He just came, aligned with a few elders, gave them small tokens, and started marking out the place for estate development. No compensation was given to any of us.”

According to him, the community’s customary system of land inheritance, which relies on traditional demarcation rather than paperwork, made it easier for the lawmaker to assert control.

“Our people don’t use documents. When land is given, it’s demarcated with a hoe. That’s how it has always been. When a man dies, he’s buried on the same land. That’s how deep our connection to this place is.”

The businessman alleged that Rt. Hon. Ogah has no ancestral rights to the disputed land but proceeded to impose himself as its controller, exploiting the vulnerability of villagers unfamiliar with modern land administration.

“After seizing the land, he started asking people to bring money before allocating a small portion back to them for farming,” he claimed. “He acted like he wanted to consult us, but when we didn’t agree, he created a community group by himself, inaugurated them, and told them what to say. That’s not representation; that’s manipulation.”

Villagers further allege that dissent has been crushed through intimidation and threats of punishment.

“Some villagers cursed him over the land issue. When he heard, he summoned them, held them hostage, and forced them to change their words. He even fined them one trip of sand and some bags of cement each.”

The looming estate project, they fear, will make it impossible for families to reclaim their land without paying exorbitant sums far beyond their means.

“We heard that once the estate is built, anyone who wants a house will have to pay N5 million. That’s insulting. We don’t even have access roads or electricity here. It’s farmland, not a luxury estate.”

Residents say every attempt to report the matter or seek protection has been blocked.

“If anyone tries to report to the police or land authorities, he blocks them from entering the village,” the source alleged. “He uses some village elders as a weapon against us. Everyone is afraid.”

The businessman warned that the escalating crisis threatens to push entire families into destitution and possibly spark conflict if nothing is done.

“Many families are stranded. If this continues, people may lose not just their land, but their lives. Some have nowhere else to go. This land is our only means of survival.”

In their desperate plea, the villagers are urging the Ebonyi State Government to intervene before it is too late.

“We want Governor Nwifuru to hear us. This is not political — it’s about survival. We want our land back. No villager is willing to lose their land.”