:Accuse JPK Anyanwu, Donez Of Land Grabbing
: Seek Govt Intervention.
Landowners of Central Market Residential layout in Nekede, have raised alarm, accuse J.P.K Anyanwu, Joe Jonny Joyson Ent. LTD and Donez Globalof masterminding what they described as large-scale land grabbing under the guise of developing a shopping mall for the former President of Nigeria, Chief Olusegu Obasanjo which Land breaking ceremony has been scheduled for June 21, 2024.
This is even coming as they called for the government of Gov. Hope Uzodinma to urgently intervene to address their grievances and halt the ongoing ceremony as well as the demolition of their properties.
Speaking with some of the land owners, Barr. Oluchukwu Green Nnabugwu and Ogochukwu Stanley Nwakwo respectively disclosed that the disputed plots are the 40 % compensatory plots allotted to indigenes of the land who then sold out to land developers with Certificates of Occupancy acquired from the government of Imo state.
They disclosed that many of these compensatory plots were sold to landlords who have since developed the land, only to see their properties destroyed in recent months. The landowners alleged that JPK Anyanwu and his company are behind these actions, using the pretext of a commercial project for the Ministry of Commerce and Industry to seize the land.
The controversy deepens with claims that JPK Anyanwu, a former director in the Ministry of Lands allegedly used his position to benefit personally and corporately. According to the landowners, Anyanwu allegedly incorporated Jay Donez Ent. Limited while still a civil servant and facilitated the acquisition of government land through dubious means, in collaboration with Donez Global.
Despite the issuance of Certificates of Occupancy (C of O) to legitimate landowners, which legally solidifies ownership, these certificates have not been revoked. The landowners argue that the current land grab attempts by JPK Anyanwu and his associates are illegal and unfounded.
In a series of legal battles since 2013, the government eventually designated the area as Central Market Residential Layout. However, the landowners contend that JPK Anyanwu’s legal maneuvering led to an agreement wherein he received a portion of the land, which he then renamed from Freedom Layout to Sun City Layout, allegedly overstepping the boundaries agreed upon with government officials.
“Protests and court cases have been initiated by the affected landowners, who insist that their C of O documents should be respected. They urge the governor to ensure fair hearing from all parties involved, including JPK Anyanwu and Donez Global, and to stop any further illegal land seizures”.
The landowners also question the legitimacy of the shopping mall project supposedly linked to Obasanjo, suggesting that if the former president wants to build a mall, he should seek land directly from the government rather than encroaching on private properties.
According to them, ” Our claim is against Chief J.K.P Anyanwu who is the owner of Joe Jonny Joyson Ent. and Donez Global services LTD. They claimed that they have contract from ministry of Commerce and Industry to build a shopping mall at the Central Market layout which they claimed was given to them sometime ago.
The landowners are appealing to the Imo State Government to form a committee to investigate the destruction of properties within the Central Market Residential Layout. They argue that these actions are unjust and believe that the governor is unaware of the full extent of the situation.
“Government should give us a fair hearing to hear from both sides including the JPK and co while they are still involved in the land and while they want to do land breaking ceremony on people’s land that has c of o which have not be revoked. As law abiding citizens, we have protested earlier, we are still protesting and we have been sending letters to the government. We have gone to court to stop them from what they are doing. We believe that the Governor is not into land grabbing and they respect court orders. We therefore urge Government to investigate the role of JPK Anyanwu and a sister company Donez global. Government should check generally what is happening at the layout. They noted that the shopping mall is owned by Nze Ozichukwu Chukwu and Obasanjo’. If he wants a shopping mall, he should ask the government to give him land and not use the lands of citizens for his project.”.
Every effort made to reach the accused to get his own side of the story proved abortive as his number was switched off at the time of filing this report.
