Obollo Affor hails IGP Egbetokun over resolution of communal land dispute

2026-02-23 - 14:07

By Anayo Okoli ENUGU — The Obollo Affor community in Udenu Local Government Area, Enugu State, has commended the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, for intervening to prevent anarchy and ensure justice in a prolonged communal land dispute. The community revealed that the IGP directed the Zone 13 Police Command in Ukpo, Anambra State, to provide security for court officials enforcing a long-standing judgment in favor of Obollo Affor, after investigations uncovered attempts by powerful individuals to obstruct justice. Prince Mathew Agu, the community’s Donee Power of Attorney for the disputed land, said the intervention brought immense relief to residents who had faced forceful eviction despite a favorable court ruling. “Some influential people interested in our land successfully blocked previous enforcement attempts by manipulating judicial and law enforcement officers,” Agu said. He alleged that the conspirators used fictitious claims to confuse police legal units and even involved the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) to stall execution. Agu further accused a Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) of ordering the withdrawal of active criminal charges against opponents of the community, effectively turning the rightful owners into “judgment debtors.” He criticized politicians for misusing their offices to settle personal scores and warned against compromising police legal units and the judiciary to facilitate land grabbing. “The IGP and the AIG of the Directorate of Legal Services at Force Headquarters acted after a thorough investigation, showing that the police can restore hope for the common man,” Agu said. The community expressed joy that, under supervision from Zone 13 Command, the court’s order has now been peacefully and lawfully executed, restoring the rightful owners to their land. “This intervention demonstrates that facts, not political influence, can guide justice,” Agu added, praising the leadership of IGP Egbetokun for upholding the rule of law.