Nsulu Communities Urge Govt To Halt Abia Airport Land Enumeration, Demand Transparency

The ongoing dispute over land acquisition for the proposed Abia State Airport project has escalated, with the Nsulu communities in Isiala Ngwa North LGA rejecting the government’s land enumeration exercise.

The communities, represented by Engineer Ikechukwu Uche (Chairman) and Gabriel Ukaumunna Echezolam (Secretary), accuse the Abia State government of violating existing land acquisition protocols.

In a strongly worded letter, the community leaders condemned the government’s actions, claiming that the enumeration process began without disclosing the exact amount of land needed for the airport project.

They claim that the government is bypassing their designated technical team and instead dealing with individuals who are not legitimate landowners.

The letter describes it as “weaponising hunger” to avoid proper negotiations.They accused the government of not keeping terms of any agreement entered. Government has not shown any sincerity on this matter from day.

The communities argue that the government’s actions violate all agreed-upon engagement rules, including a court-ordered stay of execution and a commitment to peaceful negotiations. The court order had halted previous actions while both parties sought a solution.

The letter urges Nsulu residents to boycott the government’s enumeration exercise until the state government publicly reveals the exact land area proposed for acquisition.

The communities reaffirm their commitment to peaceful engagement while insisting on transparency and proper land acquisition procedures.

They call on the Abia State government to resume discussions with their officially appointed technical committee.

The impasse casts further doubt on the future of the Abia Airport project, highlighting the government’s ongoing tensions with the affected communities.

The government has yet to officially respond to the communities’ claims. The situation highlights the complexities of large-scale development projects, as well as the need for fair and transparent land acquisition processes.