The Village Heads of Host Communities in Nsulu, Isiala-Ngwa North LGA of Abia State rising from a meeting on Wednesday described as false narrative insinuations that they were against the proposed Federal Government of Nigeria, FGN's airstrip project proposed to be sited in their community.


"What the people of Nsulu are fighting against is the desperate, fraudulent and forceful acquisition of Nsulu land by the Governor Alex Otti-led  Abia State Government",  said the Chairman Village Heads of Host Communities,  Engr. Ikechukwu Uche, while speaking to newsmen after a meeting by the landowners.


Engr Uche explained that the acknowledged land owners for the proposed site for Abia Airport has just met with the Abia State government team led by the Chief of Staff to the Governor, Pastor Caleb Ajagba and arrived at the incontrovertible conclusion that the so-called project is nothing but a desperate, fraudulent and forceful acquisition of Nsulu farm lands and homesteads.


According to him, "It is on record that the  Abia State government under former governor Dr Okezie Ikpeazu had acquired land for the same Airport project, wherein a Certificate of Occupancy was issued to the executors of the project . "It's also on record that the site had already passed Environment Impact Assessment ( EIA ) and all the usual bureaucratic bottlenecks and resistance, fully resolved by both parties.


"In our meeting with Pastor Ajagba, Nsulu people raised concerns over the said land originally acquired and demanded reasons why it was abruptly abandoned for a new site, also within Nsulu land. We unequivocally made our concerns known to the Abia State government through the Chief of Staff, stating categorically that  the original area had no incumbrances and not encumbered by  residential buildings, while the new site chosen by the Otti's administration is surrounded by home  settlements, unfortunately the Abia State government, till this moment have failed to address our concerns or even enlighten us why a new site has become inevitable"


Engr Uche further added that the Abia Government proposed 'Abia Airport' appears to be a private enterprise as it's proposed plans has provisions for a five star hotel; An airport; Housing Estate, a school  and an Airforce base. As at the time publishing this story. the Abia State government has not explained, who are going to build the hotel, school and the housing estate. "Significantly, we have not entered into any Memorandum of understanding ( MOU ), which should have been the right step towards peaceful acquisition", he asserted 


Engr Uche maintained that the Gov Otti-led Abia Government have failed to  proffer cogent reasons for the acquisition of new site for the project, but have rather chosen to  engage inconsequential representives, with no stakes in the acquired land. He accused the Chief of staff, Pastor Ajagba and Pastor Okorugo Aji of misleading the Governor and urged for immediate disbandment of the team as they are not representing the government transparently.


Engr Uche noted that, the government of Abia State, finally decided to open up channel of discussion with Nsulu host communities stakeholders and land owners by convening a meeting which held on Thursday, December 9,  2024, at Umuezeukwu Nsulu, a clear three weeks after the flagging-off of the project by the Minister of Aviation, Festus Keyamo. - a case of placing the cart before the horse. 


According to him: "Further engagement was on Saturday January  11,  2025 at the office of Chief of Staff to the Governor, Pastor Ajagba wherein some resolutions were reached which includes, amongst others that: 


"- That government should reduce the proposed acquired land area down from the initial 1,800 hectares, in response to earlier concerns; 


"- The communities expressed concerns about the project's impact on displacement of their homes and loss of livelihood; 


"- The Abia Government team agreed to work together with the community to address the concerns, including identifying real landowners, unbundling the airport project, and reducing the land size for acquisition if possible;

 

"- The government team further assured prompt payment of compensation and involvement of landowner communities in the development process


"- The discussion further explored the setting up of a joint team to work together to complete the survey and identify the actual land affected and their owners"


The landowners again accused the Ajagba-led Government Negotiations Team of bad faith, alleging that rather than revert to them on earlier resolutions reached, the Abia Government choosed to open fresh discussions with certain 'Nsulu host communities stakeholders and land owners' who have no land or stake in the acquired land.


"We, stakeholders and landowners of the proposed Abia Airport site in Nsulu, Isiala-Ngwa North LG hereby pledge our support for the earlier proposal by the Federal Government of Nigeria to site an airstrip in our community, but we reject in totality the attempt to forcefully evict us from our ancestral homesteads and farmlands by Gov. Alex Otti and his agents. 


"From their body language and actions, the Gov Otti-led administration have failed to foster trust, thereby creating room for potential misunderstandings and  future breach of peace and harmony in our community for their selfish purposes"


Besides Engr Uche, others that attended the meeting include Gabriel Echozolam - Village Head, Umuezenta Nbawsi; Chimaobi Ohaka, Village Head, Umuosu Nsulu and Isaac Frank, Village Head. Umulenwa,  Nbawsi Nsulu


Others are: Ehilegbu Chidiadi;  Charles Ozems; Iroegbu Iheanyi; Ikechukwu Obisie; Onyenkwere Obinnaya; Jaja Chinedu and  Uche Ubani


Also in attendance include Uwabukonye Ehumadu; Ahamefula Anaba; Ikechukwu Ochulo; Ikechukwu Ukaumunna;  Osinachi Ebere;  Chinazunawa Nwogu; Samuel Chinwewuba; Uzoma Okiyi and several others.