Tension has erupted once again in Enugu State following a renewed outbreak of violence over a longstanding land dispute between Etiti Ngwo community in Udi Local Government Area and Umu-Ugwu Akum Akwuke in Enugu South Local Government Area.

 

The latest clash, which occurred on July 12, 2025, led to the tragic killing of a young man, Sochima Onoh, despite existing court judgments — including those from the Appeal Court and Supreme Court — affirming ownership of the disputed land in favour of the Etiti Ngwo community.

 

Residents of Etiti Ngwo have accused their neighbours in Umu-Ugwu Akum Akwuke of defying the judicial rulings by continuing to encroach on the land and launching violent attacks. According to them, this marks the third fatality recorded in the crisis.

 

Chairman of the Etiti Ngwo Central Community, Eze Daniel Onyejuwaka, while addressing journalists on Monday, said the violence escalated shortly after a July 10 meeting with the Deputy Governor of Enugu State and the State Boundary Committee.

 

“We had a meeting with the Deputy Governor, who chairs the Boundary Committee, and the same day we were given judgment affirming our ownership of the land,” Onyejuwaka said. “Shockingly, from that day, our opponents went to the land, began demolishing properties, laid ambush, and killed Sochima in cold blood.”

 

 

 

Onyejuwaka further accused the Managing Director of the Enugu State Geographic Information System (ENGIS), Chiwetalu Nwatu, of undermining court decisions by allegedly allocating parts of the land to individuals from Umu-Ugwu Akum Akwuke.

 

“Despite the efforts of the Deputy Governor to resolve this matter, ENGIS has gone ahead to make fresh allocations, empowering our opponents to continue their aggression,” he claimed. “We’ve now lost three lives on this same land — including Oliver Onoh, Sochima, and even my own father.”

 

 

 

The community leader appealed to the Enugu State Government, the Attorney-General of the State, the Attorney-General of the Federation, and the judiciary to intervene and enforce the Supreme Court’s judgment.

 

“The Supreme Court ruled in our favour in 2015, and all further appeals and applications for stay of execution were dismissed by 2021. We are law-abiding and only seek justice,” he said.

 

 

 

An eyewitness to the killing, Obinna Onyia, emotionally recounted the incident:

 

“We were running from some men dressed in black. Sochima fell and hid in the bush, but they found him and shot him. I saw it happen but couldn’t help.”

 

 

 

Reacting to the allegations, ENGIS Managing Director, Chiwetalu Nwatu, denied any wrongdoing, maintaining that the land in question is Crown Land legally under government control.

 

“The land is Crown Land belonging to the government. Rather than forcefully demolishing existing structures, the Mbah administration is magnanimously inviting all property holders for proper registration,” Nwatu said.

 

 

 

Meanwhile, the Enugu State Police Command has confirmed the killing. Police spokesperson, DSP Daniel Ndukwe, stated that the incident was reported around 3:35 p.m. on July 12 from Isiama Agu‑Ovolo in Etiti Ngwo.

 

“The Police responded swiftly and discovered the lifeless body of Onoh Sochima with suspected gunshot wounds. He was rushed to the hospital where he was confirmed dead. His remains have been deposited in the morgue for autopsy,” Ndukwe said.

 

 

 

He added that preliminary investigations link the killing to the ongoing land dispute and urged both communities to remain calm while the matter is being investigated.