SAND EXCAVATION: Ogbozinne - Akpugo community fears security breach

* Seeks inclusion in peace deal

The Ogbozinne Community, Ndiagu Akpugo, in Nkanu West local government area of Enugu State has raised an alarm over potential security breach in the community, if the matters escalating the tension are not nipped in the bud.

Two families, Ihenegwagu and Amugo, in the community have been at daggers drawn over the control of sand excavation site at the bank of Nyaba River; a situation that has heightened insecurity in the community.

Insider report revealed that a team of Enugu State government led by the Secretary of the State Government (SSG), Prof Chidiebere Onyia had waded into the matter that is yet unresolved.

Other members of the state government team that waded into the matter included the Commissioner for Environment, Prof Sam Ugwu; the commissioner for Local Government, Chieftaincy Matters and Rural Development, Deacon Okey Ogbodo; the Special Adviser to the Governor on Energy, Oil & Gas, Mr. Kingsley Nnaji; HRH Igwe Abel Nwobodo, among others.

The government had given a verdict preventing both parties from further excavation of sand from the site, yet tension grew in the community after the mediation.

It was learnt that for a lasting resolution to be reached, leaders of Ogbozinne Community need to be involved in the peace discussion, particularly as the landlord and host community to the two families whose aborigine are domiciled in Ndiuno-Akpugo.

Investigation further revealed that the disputed sand excavation site within the domain of Ogbozinne Ndiagu Akpugo autonomous Community has been constituting a security threat to the Community; had been a farm land of the two families with little number of their descendants living around there.

"The two families always mobilize unknown faces from their ancestral home (Ihenegwagu and Amugo communities in Ndiuno Akpugo) to come to Ogbozinne Village Ndiagu Akpugo and cause havoc and go unchallenged by our people.

"Our roads have been greatly damaged as a result of the tippers plying our internal roads without a kobo being received by the host village/community. Therefore, it is important that the Ogbozinne community is included in reconciliation meetings for comprehensive and lasting peace," a community leader said.

Prior to the state government's intervention, one of the parties in the dispute, the Obuga people living in Ogbozinne, had written to the Chairman of Ogbozinne community, appealing for intervention in the land dispute between them and Amugo family living in Ogbozinne, to prevent further escalation of the matter.

In their letter dated July 10, 2025 and endorsed by their Chairman, Sunday Nnamani and Secretary Nneji Chukwunoso, the Obuga family claimed that the said land belongs to Obuga people and not the Ihunekwagu general or Amugo people.

The Obuga family wrote: "The said land was given to us by our ancestors many years ago on which, we are cultivating various crops during our youth age, we don’t have any land boundary with Amugo family living in Ogbozinne, but we have boundary with Ihunekwagu general.

"The Obuga burrow pit site was opened and registered with the appropriate government agency, that is, the Ministry of Environment and Climate change. The pit site was not opened by Ihunekwagu general or Ekeagu land burrow pit site.

"Amugo people living in Ogbozinne went and opened another burrow pit site in our land, which is a complete case of encroachment into our land, on daily basis more than 100 tippers load sand excavated by the Amugo family. In the olden days there was a traditional oath taking ceremony that established our ownership of the land. We wish that Amugo people should ask their elders about the history.

"The Amugo people, instead of excavating sharp sand from left hand side to Ekeagu, they diverted toward right hand side, thereby encroaching farther into our land. Our brothers from Ihunekwagu Ndiuzu who wish to join us in this struggle should first of all come and establish their homestead at Ogbozinne so that we know that they are truly part of us at Ogbozinne. Otherwise they should stop coming to cause trouble at Ogbozinne.

"We the people of Obuga in Ogbozinne want peace and not violence so that Amugo people in Ogbozinne will no longer trespass in our land to excavate sharp sand, that is to say we are completely in support of peace talk as organized by the Ogbozinne people.

"We the Obuga people believe that the good people of Ogbozinne with their wisdom will bring Justice and Peace between Obuga people and Amugo people, so that the people of Amugo will leave our land alone for us and peace will continue to reign in our community as always and God’s blessings will also be upon us."

In their response dated July 16, 2025, submitting to the peace discussion, the Amugo family, led by Chief Chidi Ogbodo agreed to the peace process but gave a condition that members of the peace discussion should be conversant with the boundary demarcation of the feuding families.

National Chairman of Ogbozinne Community, Chidi Okenwa disclosed with documents, correspondence his community has made so far with both parties in dispute to resolve the matter that is not concluded. 

Okenwa and the Special Adviser, Ifeanyi Uwakwe extolled the effort of the Enugu State government led by Governor Peter Mbah for their quick intervention to protect the lives and properties in the community.

They pledged to cooperate fully with the state government in resolution of the matter and to assist the state government achieve it's projected realization of raising the state GDP of the state to $30 million for continued development of the state.