Etiti Ngwo Residents Protest Land Dispute Violations

On Monday, residents of Etiti Ngwo in Udi Local Government Area, Enugu State, protested at the Enugu Government House, alleging that the Enugu State Geographic Information System, represented by Director Chiwetalu Nwatu, violated a Supreme Court judgment concerning a long-standing land dispute. The protest was led by Daniel Ez, Chairman of the Etiti Central Executive Council, who accused officials of undermining the court's ruling and engaging in criminal conspiracy.

The land dispute, which has been ongoing since 1989, saw the Supreme Court declare the land belonged to Ngwo in 2015, overturning a previous High Court decision. Despite this, local officials allegedly continued to interfere with land reallocations, leading to violence, including the murder of community member Sochima Onoh on July 12, 2025.

The protesters called for Governor Peter Mbah to intervene and establish an investigative panel to ensure compliance with the court's judgment. Dan Nwomeh, a senior special assistant in the Enugu State Government, stated that the land in question is federal property and that neither Ngwo nor Akwuk communities possess valid ownership rights.