How Engr. Ambrose Uzoma & Family Blocked Access Road In Ndikpa Village In Abba Community 

P.M.EXPRESS reports that the crux of the imbroglio has been linked to the community’s famous moneybag and one time NNPC Director, Engineer Ambrose Chukwunyere Uzoma and his brothers.

They were said to have dared the Executive Governor of Imo State, Senator Hope Uzodinma and challenged the Constitutional powers of Nwangele Local Government Area and State Government in establishing a developmental access road without recourse to the authorities.

The super rich and influential oil and gas Federal Government Contractor, Engineer Uzoma, about two weeks ago allegedly barricaded and built a high fence on an existing Nwangele Local Government approved Ndikpa, Abba Community access road, thereby unlawfully denying residents movement into and out of their houses and farmland.

The action has thrown the village into crisis as the youths went on rampage because there was no immediate action by both Nwangele LG and the State Government to free the community from imposed blockade and restrictions.

While grumbling and lamenting, some of the aggrieved residents were heard  cursing those responsible for what they described as “abominable and wicked action of blocking an ancient access road”, which they claimed human and spirits use daily and regularly.

Already, the youths appear to be resisting the intimidation as unknown persons have pulled down the blockade  to the admiration of the entire kindred, which angered the Uzoma family, who approached the High Court sitting in Nkwerre with their legal team of Senior Advocates Of Nigeria.

The Court granted them right only to about 5 feet size of their acclaimed family land, which fell into the Nwangele LGA approved Ndikpa village access road.

However, in a clear move to ostensibly scare residents and ostentatiously exhibit the full weight of their family’s wealth and Judicial connections, some of the villagers who spoke on the grounds of anonymity, alleged that immediately the Uzoma family collected the judgment, they “threw caution to the winds” and quickly erected a high wall blocking the access road, thereby unlawfully dening the entire residents, other land owners, access to their properties and houses, adding that the actions of the Uzoma family undermined and unconstitutionally impinged on their freedom of movement, association and access to government road, especially the fundamental rights of one of their illustrious son, Chief Cletus Ugochukwu Elendu, who they said is based in the USA, whose palatial mansion was deliberately blocked at both ends of the road.

The vocal youths, who identified themselves as Onyema Ndukwe and Eugene Ana, gave a graphic account of the Genesis of the crisis.

According to them, “As progressive youths in Ndikpa, we will not watch and allow evil overcome our village. For long, the Uzoma family has made excessive money through NNPC – oil and gas and sincerely had been lording it over everyone in the kindred”.

“In fact, this is not the first time. They don’t want anyone else to rise to recognition. The first we can remember was our late Uncle, Dee Izionu, who stayed long in Britain before returning home and graciously established a garri processing company and palm oil mill in our community. It is on record that the moment the Uzomas saw him as a threat to their popularity, they battled Dee Izionu over some parcels of land until he died.”

Continuing, they stated thus: “Now, about 5 years ago, one dynamic, adorable, kind hearted and progressive youth, called Chief Cletus Ugochukwu Elendu, with the Chieftaincy title of “Aluma Aluma, Amara Dike 1″, who had escaped the pull-him-down syndrome in Ndikpa, ran to USA, conquered poverty, stayed and made money. Ever since he started visiting the village from America, he has been empowering and impacting on the lives of everyone, especially the youth. He even bought land for our village town hall, which has been blocked by the obnoxious fence”.

“Regrettably, thinking that it was the end of the dramas, the next thing was the audacious and senseless fencing of the access road by the same Uzoma family. Luckily, some unknown people came and destroyed the fence they had erected, which barricaded our Ndikpa kindred access road. This heroic pulling down of the obnoxious fence blockade by the unknown persons, elicited appreciation and wide applause from the entire residents.”

“Angered and having concluded in their usual characteristics that the entire kindred supported and hailed the developmental strides coming through Chief Cletus Ugochukwu Elendu, the Uzoma family became more enraged and ran to the court in the year 2020 to find solace.”

“Unfortunately, nobody took them serious initially. But before we knew it, they brought their acquired judgement, which they claimed allowed them to take back the 5 feet size of their own portion of land in the Local Government approved Ndikpa access road.”

“Contrary to the judgement, instead of sticking to the letters and interpretation of the judgment, they unlawfully rushed and built a new fence and cut off the entire residents, including those who owns farm lands and houses. Even our new village hall site donated by the same Chief Cletus Ugochukwu Elendu was under barricade and blockage, just like those at war.”

Querying Correspondents, the youths asked, “As Crime Reporters, tell us which Law, Constitution or Court Judgement will permit sealing of a village access road by an individual or group? Which power denies a community their freedom of movement and association because of one rich man’s 5 feet size land that unavoidably entered a community road project? We thought that in this country’s Land Use Act, land is in the custody of the Governor on behalf of the people and also the Local Government has right over rural roads, market and development.”

Speaking on peace and mediation carried out by the community, they stated, “Despite all entireties, pleas, to forgive and allow harmonious relationship, the wealthy, arrogant and merciless Uzoma family Chieftains insisted initially that part of conditions to make them retreat was that Chief Cletus Ugochukwu Elendu must come and apologize to them for making an offensive voice note against them, which he allegedly made out of provocation after they blocked the entrance to his house, (which Chief Azubuihe Patrick confirmed in a voice note that Chief Cletus Ugochukwu Elendu did apologize twice). Secondly, that he will jettison his Chieftaincy title name ‘Aluma Aluma Amara Dike’; again, change the official Nwangele Local Government approved road name delineated for the Ndikpa Village Access Road, just because it was named after Chief Cletus Ugochukwu’s father. There were other dictatorial conditions.”

The youths noted that it was ‘very worrisome and abhorrent that when the Uzoma family has lost their honour due to their authoritarian disposition, created crisis in the kindred, they quickly sent unknown people to destroy the same fence recently, which was to enable them to continue witch-hunting youths, elders, opposition and opponents with their so called Contempt of Court Forms 48 and 49″.

When our correspondent peeped into the Ndikpa Progressive Forum’s platform as shown by Onyema Ndukwe on the phone, it became evidential and clearly showed that majority of the village youths, elders at home and abroad, such as Chief Patrick Azubuihe a.k.a. ( Babadudu), Ambrose Onuegbu, Chimezie Festus, Chief Godwin Eligwe, Chief Christian Okenyeka, Chief Cletus Uzoho, Izuchukwu Ndupu, A.O.N Israel, Ekeogu  Kenneth, Professor Joseph Chimezie, Anthony Odoemena, Cyril Chimezie, Caminus Onuegbu, Benson Chimezie, Chimezie George, Emmanuel Chimezie, Dominic Elendu, Chris Elendu, Valentine Iwuozor, Emmanuel Onyekachi, Morality and so many others, affirmed that they have been soliciting, calling on the three major rich and prominent Uzomas such as Elder Ambrose Uzoma, Peter Uzoma and Chief Valine Oputa Obie Uzoma, to tow the path of peace, tolerance and allow for the amicable settlement of the matter, which they said was at its best brotherly misunderstanding.

In the said platform, the kindred  Chairman and Village Leaders have come under severe attacks several times from members for their alleged partiality while other elders were facing criticism for compromising their position due to gratifications they may have been collecting from the two contenders, thereby prolonging the crisis for over five years.

Efforts to speak with Chief Cletus Ugochukwu Elendu, Chief Valine Uzoma  Peter Uzoma, Elder Ambrose Uzoma and their village leaders, proved abortive as most of them were confirmed by the residents interviewed at the popular Nkwoebu Market to be based abroad in  Warri, Aba, Port Harcout and Lagos State etc.

However, following alleged ongoing witch hunting to arrest opposing voices, the Abba Town Youth Organization led by Barrister Denis Chimezie as President and Comrade C.J. Adibe, Secretary, recently published a disclaimer, disassociating their members from the ongoing dispute, the brewing crisis and the pulling down of the fence.