A community leader in Anambra State, Ozo Ozoemena Okeke, has alleged that he was kidnapped twice due to his refusal to sell community lands. Okeke, who is the Vice Chairman of Obunagu Achalla village in Enugu Agidi community, claimed that some of his kinsmen were working with suspected kidnappers to eliminate him.
According to Okeke, the first kidnapping incident occurred on , when he was taken by suspected kidnappers who demanded that he produce money from the sale of community land. However, when they discovered that he had no money, they released him.
The second kidnapping incident occurred in December 2024, when Okeke was taken to a shrine in Ukwulu and held for three days before being released.
Okeke alleged that the kidnappings were orchestrated by four of his kinsmen who were seeking to appropriate community land and sell it to the highest bidder. He claimed that the community had agreed to suspend and ostracize him due to his refusal to cooperate with their plans.
However, the Chairman of Obunagu-Achalla, Emeka Ementa, denied any involvement in the kidnappings and stated that the community had taken normal precautions to suspend Okeke from community meetings and activities due to his alleged sabotage of the community’s corporate existence.
Ementa explained that the community was involved in a land dispute with the Ezinano Awka community and that Okeke had aligned himself with the opposing community. He stated that the community had taken the matter to court and had been awarded the land in three court sessions.
The incident highlights the ongoing land disputes and kidnappings in Anambra State, and the need for communities to resolve their differences peacefully.
