Akwa Ibom monarchs in Mkpat Enin protest government’s seizure of land

Some traditional rulers from the 13 communities in Mkpat Enin local government area of Akwa Ibom State whose lands were seized by the administration of former Governor Udom Emmanuel for a coconut plantation have staged a protest demanding N13 billion from the present administration.

LEADERSHIP Sunday reports that the large expanse of land was seized by former Governor Emmanuel in 2016 for a coconut plantation that would feed the St Gabriel Coconut Oil Refinery, but the monarchs lamented that despite all entreaties including court cases, the former governor refused to pay, forcing them to resort to protest.

The village heads of the 13 affected communities in Ikpa Ibom clan during a press conference later the palace of the chairman of the forum, Chief Raymond Udia, at Ikot Ekong community, appealed to Governor Eno to heed to their demands as their lives depend so much on the acquired lands.

The communique read by the secretary of the forum, Chief Cletus Inyang, appealed to the governor to “follow the due process and rule of law in compliance with the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as Amended) and Land Use Act, by paying adequate compensation to owners and holders of deemed customary Right of Occupancy (C of O) of St Gabriel Coconut Plantation.”

According to them, thousands of hectares of communal, family and private parcels of land compulsorily acquired by the state government since 2016 had since forced many farmers in the affected communities out of faming.

They recalled that, “in 2017, N3.5bn was used by the government for the importation of coconut seedlings from Cote D’Ivoire, and in 2018, N26 billion was approved by former Governor Udom Emmanuel, for payment of compensation to land owners compulsorily acquired under the industrialisation policy, wherein, St Gabriel Coconut Plantation and Refinery Limited, was on the list of bonafide beneficiaries, but till date, land owners of the plantation have not been paid.”