…as host community battles claims of ownership by Prof.Nick Ezeh
From Maurice Okafor, Enugu
The Oji River Forest Reserves located on a mass space of land, estimated over two kilometers square, along Oji River Urban to Achi road.
The massive land in which the forest comprising mostly of gmelina trees were planted is on lease to the defunct Nigeria Coal Corporation (NCC) by the host community, Ahani- Achi.
The host community Ahani- Achi is currently in court with an entrepreneur, Professor Nick Ezeh over claims that he bought over the Oji River Forest Reserves when it was advertised by Bureau of Public Enterprises.
While the tussle of ownership is still pending in court, Perimeter fencing of the entire forest with dwarf walls allegedly by the state government is an on going project.
The fencing project is generating controversies and I’ll feelings among indigents of the host community,Ahani Achi autonomous community,with complaints they are kept in the dark on the intentions of the state government or whoever the third force might be.
However, they still prefer to be law abiding but anxiously waiting to be rightly informed.
The Authority Newspaper investigations so far revealed that some traders who illegally converted parts of the forests close to the gate of Enugu state College of Health Technology into shops, were given notice to quit by the management of the institution,as a measure to curtail security threats within the environments of the institution.
Some of the affected traders who talked to this writer on anonymity said they were served the notice to quit since the month of September 2024 through a letter bearing the insription of Enugu state College of Health Technology,Oji Riverr. Therefore, when earth moving equipment were rolled out by the authorities in the month of February 2025, they peacefully packed up their wares and pathetically watched with pains as their stalls were destroyed.
The pains of indigenes of Ahani Achi,who originally are the host community to several government establishments built within Oji River Urban town including the Enugu State College of Health Technology is the fact that the fencing project allegedly started by the management of Enugu State College of Health Technology has surpassed the boundary of the institution and encompassed the entire Forest Reserves.
According to them, it has become clear that there are third force with lots of financial muscle if not the state government involvement in the fencing project while the host community,Ahani Achi is kept in the dark.
In a chat with The AUTHORITY Newspaper, the President General of Ahani Achi Development Union(ADU),Hon.Kingsley Ezeh,said under his watch,the Town Union has not conceded the ownership of the Oji River Forest Reserves to any body or institution.
He said the position of the town Union before the government team on inspection of Forest Reserves in Enugu state led by one Mr Gabriel Okafor was that Ahani Achi as the host community will welcome developmental projects on the Forest Reserves with thorough and stipulated agreement with any arm of the government who wish to invest in the forest.
This writer who is also the National Public Relations Officer of Ahani Achi Town Union, recalled that the visitation of Mr Gabriel Okafor led state government officials to Oji River Forest Reserves was propelled by the heightened kidnap incidents within Oji River Urban within one to two months, of which it was stressed that the kidnappers escaped with their victims through the Oji River forests.
It was gathered that part of the recommendations to the government to curtail further incidence of kidnap in Enugu State College of Health Technology Oji River was the fencing of the entire School premises with dwarf wall even as the state government used the opportunity to promise revalidation of most dilapidated structures of the institution.
At the moment,a lot of dust is being raised on whether the state government in it’s promise to fence the Enugu state College of Technology with Peri meter fencing, decided to take over the whole of Oji River Forest Reserves.
Meanwhile,Justice R. O.Odugu of Enugu High Court 2,on Wednesday March 5,fixed hearing to hold on May 18th,June 21st and June 25th, on the suit with number HOR/31/2018 brought before the court by the leadership of Ahani Achi Development Union led by Sir Clifford Orji and others(plaintiff)against Aulic Nigeria Limited(1st Defendant), Professor Nick Ezeh (2nd Defendant)and Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE).in the bid to decide the authentic ownership of the Oji River Forest Reserves.
The Ahani Achi Development Union (ADU)leadership by led by Sir Clifford Orji went to court to challenge the claim by Professor Nick Ezeh that he has bought over the Oji River Forest Reserves.
The town Union through their lawyers from Ezeuko chambers argued that they are the custodians of Ahani Achi autonomous Community lands and other properties, that they were not aware and involved in a transaction that transferred the ownership of the Oji River forest Reserves planted on their land under lease to Nigerian Coal Corporation(NCC),to Professor Nick Ezeh.
Therefore,the ownership still belongs to them as the host community.
On his own side,Prof.Nick Ezeh has explained in several public gatherings that the Oji River Forest Reserves was advertised for sale by the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE) during the winding up of Nigerian Coal Corporation (NCC), his company bidded for it among other companies and won.
He claims to have settled other stakeholders of Ahani Achi community after paying to Bureau of Public Enterprises.
Seven years after,the current leadership of Ahani Achi Development Union (ADU)led by Hon. Kingsley Ezeh is upholding the stand of the immediate past ADU leadership which emphasized that as the custodians of the community’s land and other properties, the ADU is not aware and involved in any transaction that transferred ownership of Oji River Forest Reserves to Professor Nick Ezeh or his company.
The ADU is seeking a handover back of their land since the Nigerian Coal Corporation has wound up,just as it was done to some other communities who leased out their land to NCC for planting of Gmelina trees used in Enugu coal mines.
The crucial twist of the matter is the fact that while the tussle for ownership of Oji River Forest Reserves between Ahani Achi autonomous community and Prof.Nick Ezeh is still pending in court, a third force which are yet to clarify their mission and objectives has dug foundation and building Perimeter fence stretching across the entire Oji River Forest Reserves.
The Stakeholders of Ahani Achi autonomous community in addition to the Town Union is eager to know the mission and objectives of the perimeter fencing project across the entire forest Reserves allegedly by the state government and to discuss terms,instead of being kept in the dark.
It was gathered that the planned peaceful protest by youths of Ahani Achi autonomous community against the perimeter fencing project was shelved for now,so as to avoid unforeseen circumstances that might arise aftermath of the protest.
it is observed that the fencing of the entire Oji River Forest Reserves will constitute a barrier to the residents of Mile2/Mile 3 Oji Urban, who usually use the Oji Forestt Reserves for farming.
