The proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) on Wednesday accused Governor Hope Uzodinma of Imo State of plotting to acquire 2, 000 hectares of land at Ejemekuru, around Izombe, Agwa and Akabor in Oguta Local Government Area for RUGA. IPOB image- maker, Emma Powerful, made this disclosure to newsmen stating that the communities rejected the project but the state government insisted on forcefully taking their ancestral lands from the people.
His words: “Some paid agents of the government from Ejemekuru, Izombe, Agwa and Izombe have resorted to using the force of government to intimidate and force the citizens into submission. “The deputy governor has since been mobilised to ensure that the evil government agenda is actualised.The governor through his agents are arm twisting kingeship candidates in Oguta Local Government Area, precisely Izombe, using the proposal as a bait for them. “Instead of allowing the rightful and people’s choice to emerge, the government wants to use it as a bait to accomplish this antipeople agenda. “Imo State Government is using the acceptance of RUGA as a criterion for who becomes a traditional ruler.
The Imo State Government is planning another massacre of Oguta Local Government Area citizens based on the kingship issue instead of allowing the wish of the people. “We gathered that the people of Izombe are comfortable with a certain estate developer seeking 300 hectares of land for industrial development, but the company should ensure that this is not RUGA in disguise. The community will resist any deviation from the planned estate development.