By Nkechi Eze
A United States-based Nigerian businessman, Mr. Okechukwu Kingsley, has raised alarm over what he described as a campaign of intimidation, armed attacks, cyberbullying and abuse of authority surrounding a disputed parcel of land in Urum community, Awka North Local Government Area of Anambra State.
Kingsley, who identified himself as Chairman of Nwa Agwuata Group of Companies told journalists that the crisis began after his company acquired farmland from three families in Urum in April 2024.
According to him, the transaction followed extensive due diligence. He said the company consulted community leaders, verified the status of the land at the palace of the traditional ruler, and engaged a registered surveyor who charted the property at the Anambra State Ministry of Lands to confirm it was not under government acquisition.
“We were told the families are the genuine owners. We signed agreements, including irrevocable powers, and commenced payment. After about eight months, we mobilised to site,” he said.
Kingsley alleged that trouble started when the community’s President-General, Mr. Felix Godwin, alongside other individuals, challenged the development, insisting that the land belonged to the community and that the developer must “go through him” before carrying out any project.
He claimed that at a meeting convened at the palace of the traditional ruler, the President-General reportedly acknowledged that the three families were the owners of the land but maintained that no development could proceed without his approval as PG.
Kingsley further alleged that the dispute escalated into repeated disruptions at the site, including destruction of building materials by youths allegedly mobilised against his company. He claimed that armed men later opened fire at workers on the property, leaving several injured, with one reportedly still in critical condition.
“We have police reports and medical records. Some suspects were arrested and confessed, but we were later told the case was transferred and the suspects released due to pressure from above,” he alleged.
The businessman also accused the President-General of orchestrating a sustained campaign of cyberbullying, claiming that defamatory content labelling him a “land grabber” and “criminal” had been circulated across social media platforms.
He said the alleged smear campaign has severely damaged his businesses, which he claimed have operated for over two decades in Nigeria and the United States, with 17 estate locations across Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt and Anambra.
“Subscribers are asking for refunds because they read online that I am a fraudster. Our car business and property sales have been affected,” he said, calling on the Inspector-General of Police and the Police Service Commission to investigate the matter.
Kingsley also alleged that members of the families who sold the land were at one point detained by local vigilante elements and subjected to inhuman treatment after accompanying officials from the Ministry of Lands for site verification connected to the issuance of a Certificate of Occupancy.
He urged federal and state authorities to intervene, insisting that “nobody should be above the law.”
Reacting to the allegations, Prince Raymond Okafor, who identified himself as the Crown Prince of Urum, backed the developer’s claims, stating that land ownership in the community resides with families and not with the community as a corporate body, except in cases where land has been expressly donated for communal purposes.
He maintained that under the community’s constitution, the President-General serves as an administrative head and does not possess statutory authority over family land transactions.
Similarly, the Traditional Prime Minister of Urum, Chief John Arinze, who also addressed the press conference, alleged that the President-General had overstepped his mandate and resorted to threats and force. He claimed that several community members were assaulted and unlawfully detained in connection with the dispute.
Both leaders called on security agencies to investigate the allegations, restore order and ensure that due process is followed.
As of press time, efforts to obtain the response of Mr. Felix Godwin to the allegations were unsuccessful. However, journalists at the briefing indicated that they would seek his reaction to ensure balance.
The dispute highlights growing concerns over land governance, community leadership authority, vigilante activities and the impact of online defamation on business interests in parts of Anambra State, as stakeholders await official investigations into the competing claims.
