Tension erupted at the Abia State Government House as a large and visibly furious crowd of women from the Umuariaga community descended on the seat of government in a passionate and determined protest against what they describe as a deeply unjust and unacceptable attempt by the Abia State Government to seize what little land remains in their community — land they say is their last inheritance and lifeline after years of acquisitions by federal government institutions.
The aggrieved women, carrying placards boldly inscribed with messages of anger, resistance, and desperation, made their voices heard loud and clear — chanting, marching, and demanding that Governor Alex Otti’s administration immediately abandon any plans to take over their remaining community land.
At the heart of the community’s fury is a deep and painful history of land loss. The Umuariaga people have already surrendered significant portions of their ancestral land to federal government institutions — including the Michael Okpara University of Agriculture and the National Root Crops Research Institute — leaving the community with a drastically reduced land base that they now guard with fierce and understandable protectiveness.
“We are tired of donating our land to government. This is all we have left. We will not give it up,” one protesting woman declared passionately, capturing the collective anguish of a community that feels cornered, ignored, and repeatedly sacrificed on the altar of government expansion.
Responding to the protests, Ifeoma Thomas, Special Assistant to Governor Otti, engaged the aggrieved Umuariaga women directly — acknowledging their concerns and assuring them that their voices had been heard by the state government.
In a significant development, Abia State Commissioner for Finance, Uwaoma Ukandu, personally intercepted the protesters as tensions threatened to escalate — appealing for calm and assuring the women that he would personally intervene in the matter and convey their grievances directly to Governor Otti on their behalf.
“I hear your pain. I will take this matter to the Governor personally. Please remain calm and trust that your concerns will be addressed,” Ukandu told the women, in remarks that appeared to momentarily ease the temperature of the protest.
Community leaders and human rights observers are however insisting that verbal assurances are no longer sufficient — demanding written guarantees and a formal government declaration that the Umuariaga community’s remaining land will not be acquired, encroached upon, or alienated under any guise whatsoever.
The Umuariaga land protest adds to growing concerns about the management of community land rights in Abia State under the Otti administration, and is expected to attract wider attention from civil society, land rights advocates, and opposition political figures in the days ahead.