Tension is rising in Enugu State as host communities protest an alleged plan by the state government to convert part of a school land into a commercial housing estate.
Residents of Amauzam-Ugbawka and Agbani communities in Nkanu East Local Government Area staged a protest over reports that undeveloped portions of the Girls Special Science School, Agbani, have been earmarked for a housing project.
The protesters described the move as “land grabbing,” insisting that the land was originally acquired for educational purposes and should not be repurposed without due consultation.
Carrying placards, the demonstrators said the development would further dispossess them of ancestral land, more than two decades after the school was established without clearly defined boundaries.
They called on Governor Peter Mbah to intervene by halting the proposed housing project and ensuring proper demarcation of the school’s land.
According to the communities, the disputed land spans Ugbawka Amauzam and Agbani and was acquired during the administration of former governor Chimaroke Nnamani without adequate consultation or clear boundary definition.
The protesters said repeated efforts to resolve the issue had yielded no results. They recalled writing to the administration of former governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi in 2016, requesting a formal survey and clarification of the school’s boundaries.
They also noted that a similar appeal was made to the current administration in 2024, seeking either the return of unused land or compensation for affected families.
Although security personnel prevented the protesters from gaining access to the Government House, a petition outlining their grievances was submitted.
In the petition, community leaders expressed frustration over what they described as a breach of trust, alleging that earlier discussions around resizing the school land had now been replaced with plans for commercial development.
They urged the government to respect the provisions of the Land Use Act by engaging host communities, returning unutilised land, and compensating those whose lands had already been taken.
The controversy highlights growing concerns over land administration and urban development in Enugu, particularly as housing expansion increasingly intersects with community land rights.
