Ihedioha Settles Land Dispute between NAF, Host Communities in Imo

Imo State Governor, Emeka Ihedioha, has intervened in the lingering land dispute between Obube and Umuowa communities in Owerri North Ngor Okpala Local Government Areas of Imo State and the Nigeria Air Force (NAF) Regiment 211.

The governor, who was accompanied by the Commandant of 211 Regiment Group, Group Captain Phillip Elisha Bindul, and top government functionaries, visited the area to resolve the rift between the parties involved, and sued for peaceful resolution of the crisis.

He said the purpose of his visit to the communities is to identify the actual boundary of the land allocated to NAF Regiment 211; ascertain contentious issues involved, and seek the cooperation of the host communities in order to allow peace and development thrive in the area.

Ihedioha appealed to the community to ensure that the matter is withdrawn from the courts, and ordered the revocation of any land that was not in the original allocation and wrongly ceded to the NAF Regiment 211.

The governor further advised the host communities to appreciate the role and contribution of the NAF through the 211 Regiment in the area, stating that they are committed to ensuring security and development to the communities.

He assured the host communities that the state government would partner them to ensure that lands not used for the purpose by the Force will be used for agricultural purposes.

The governor disclosed that the state would provide 5,000 hectares of land in partnership with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) for agriculture, and tasked the community to key into the project by making land available.

In his remarks, the Commandant of the 211 Regiment Group, Group Captain Phillip Elisha Bindul, lamented how litigations in the court have hindered work on the proposed site.