Six autonomous communities in Imo State have accused the State Government of colluding with other elements to forcefully take over 30,000 hectares of ancestral farmland with the backing of armed military and police personnel.
At a press conference held in Abuja on Wednesday and addressed by Dr. Ugo Jim-Nwoko, spokesperson for the affected communities, the people of Umuchie Eziama, Umuogba Eziama, Umuocham Ntu, Umuokpo Ntu, Umuhoko Ntu, and Alatia-Amala decried what they described as “an economic genocide” and an orchestrated assault on their only means of livelihood.
The communities of Mbaishii region of Ngor-Okpala Local Government Area accused the state government of deploying the Nigerian Army, Police, and other security operatives since the beginning of 2025 to destroy crops and prevent further farming activities under the guise of compulsory land acquisition—an action they claim violates both Nigerian law and international human rights instruments.
“The 2024 farming season had been successful. Our clients had invested heavily in crops such as cassava, yams, and vegetables across over 10,000 hectares,” the letter to the Inspector General of Police stated. “But their hopes were shattered when security forces invaded the farms, destroyed their yields, and prevented any activity in preparation for the 2025 season.”
The communities allege that no lawful acquisition ever took place and that the state government is acting in defiance of multiple court orders.
They cited previous judgments from the Imo State High Court in 2010 and 2011 which declared similar land acquisitions illegal and issued perpetual injunctions against further encroachment.
“We challenge the government to produce any legal document authorizing the current occupation,” the petition noted, adding that even if such acquisition were valid, allocating farmland to a religious organisation like Zion Ministry would invalidate the process, as it does not serve an overriding public interest.
They described the ongoing destruction of farms, palm plantations, poultry, and piggery units as “an economic holocaust” that could result in famine and extreme poverty across the communities.
“Our women and children wailed helplessly as bulldozers from Zion Ministry crushed their crops under the protection of armed police,” the spokesperson said, describing the scenes as heart-wrenching.
The petitioners invoked constitutional provisions and international legal instruments such as the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights to buttress their claims of illegal expropriation and abuse of state power.
They called on the Inspector General of Police to immediately withdraw all security personnel from their lands and launch an independent investigation into what they termed an illegal and politically motivated occupation.
The communities insist that unless urgent action is taken, their survival as agrarian people will be in serious jeopardy.
