Enugu Police Commissioner, Wife in Land Grab Allegation

They have therefore, implored the Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, and the Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, to stop the construction work on the land.

The residents have also called for a thorough investigation of the matter, with a view to bringing Ojukwu and his wife to book if found wanting.

Mr. Ojukwu, a former Force Public Relations Officer, who is billed to retire in two months is said to have cornered the land set aside for a police station in the Maryland layout in Enugu State.

It is alleged that Mrs. Ojukwu is building a set of shops on the site apparently to complete the project before her husband’s retirement in two months.

It is gathered, and strangely too, that the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) of Uwani, Enugu appears in the picture as he is personally supervising the project on their behalf.

The land was said to have been donated by Professor Godwin Odenigwe and family in 1980 for the purpose of building a Police Station and on which the professor built a police post for the community.

Investigation of the ownership of the land in question, situated along Ugwuaji Village Road, Enugu, and measuring over 6,000 square meters, was acquired by Dr. G. A. Odenigwe by Indenture of Leases dated 10th day of November 1962.

It was registered as No. 61 at Page 61 in Volume 332 of the Land Registry Enugu; 9th March 1963. It was again, registered as No. 56 at Page 56 in Volume 352 of the Land Registry Enugu on 24th March 1972 and as No. 45 at Page 45 in Volume 624 of the Land Registry Enugu as depicted on Plan No. E/GA 209/62 and Plan No. OKE/L447/72. In 1973/74.

The said Property was laid into Plots 190, 191, 192, 192A, 206, 207, 208 and 209 Maryland Layout, Enugu.

Many have wondered why a senior police officer, and a grandfather, with two months to retirement should choose impunity as his exit profile and strategy. Could the Enugu Capital Territory Development Authority (ENCTDA) have given him building approval for land that does not belong to him, or given the nod for anyone to build a row of shops next to a police post?

Mr. Okezie Okeke, a lawyer and longtime resident of Maryland layout, Enugu, said that “a prima-facie case of corruption is established when public officials are allegedly influenced to act contrary to their obligations of office by the prospect of financial gain to themselves or family members.”

Another Human Rights lawyer in Enugu, Chief Samuel Chidolue, believes the Enugu Commissioner of Police, Mr. Emma Ojukwu, must step down or be removed immediately in the public interest, and the illegal shops being built by him and his wife within the Police Post demolished to serve as a deterrent to others contemplating such arrogance.