“Anambra Community Raises Alarm Over Planned Demolition of Ancestral Homes for Power Transmission Project”

“Anambra Community Raises Alarm Over Planned Demolition of Ancestral Homes for Power Transmission Project”

Residents and indigenes of Ebenesi Community in Nnobi, Idemili South Local Government Area of Anambra State, have protested plans to demolish houses and other properties allegedly located along the right of way of a proposed electricity transmission project.

The community is appealing to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Anambra State Governor Chukwuma Soludo to intervene and ensure that the affected residents are adequately consulted and fairly compensated before any demolition or displacement takes place.

The controversy comes against the backdrop of renewed efforts by the Anambra State Government to revive electricity transmission infrastructure across the state. In July 2026, the government announced that it was developing a compensation framework for property owners whose buildings and land would be affected by a proposed 132kV transmission line project. The state said the project is being undertaken through the Federal Government and the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), with the objective of improving electricity supply and supporting industrial activity.

According to the Anambra Government, officials have identified and marked the relevant right of way and plan to invite affected property owners to submit documents for verification. The government also said compensation would be determined where applicable, while an official gazette would be published as part of the legal process for revoking affected properties.

The government maintains that the transmission project is important to strengthening electricity supply and supporting Anambra’s commercial and manufacturing sectors. The proposed 132kV infrastructure is expected to serve Nnewi and surrounding communities, an area widely recognised for its industrial and entrepreneurial activity.

For affected communities, however, the issue extends beyond physical structures and monetary compensation. Ancestral homes, family properties and land often carry cultural, historical and economic significance, making displacement a particularly sensitive issue in southeastern Nigeria.

The concerns raised by Ebenesi residents also come amid wider debates in Anambra over demolition, land acquisition and the implementation of major public infrastructure projects. In March 2026, residents of Umuneri village in Isuaniocha protested what they described as the forceful acquisition of ancestral land by the Anambra State Housing Development Corporation and appealed to Governor Soludo for intervention.

The state government has, in other demolition related disputes, maintained that projects and enforcement exercises are carried out under established procedures and in the broader public interest. Recent government statements have emphasized the need to balance infrastructure development with the rights and welfare of affected property owners.

The Ebenesi dispute therefore places two legitimate public interests at the centre of the debate: the urgent need for reliable electricity infrastructure and the protection of citizens whose homes and ancestral properties may be affected by its construction.

A transparent process involving adequate notice, verification of ownership, meaningful consultation and fair compensation would be critical to preventing further tension and ensuring that infrastructure development does not leave affected communities feeling excluded from decisions concerning their homes and livelihoods.

As calls for presidential and state intervention grow, attention will now focus on how the Federal Government, TCN and the Anambra State Government respond to the community’s concerns and whether a mutually acceptable resolution can be reached before any demolition takes place.