Army Denies Confiscating Enugu Resident’s Property

Nigerian Army (NA) has denied reports of alleged confiscation of a property belonging to an Enugu resident.

In a statement by the director of Army Public Relations, Major General Onyema Nwachukwu, he said the disputed property belongs to the Nigerian Army.

His clarification was prompted by a viral petition written by the Civil Rights Realisation and Advancement Network (CRRAN) on the matter.

CRRAN had alleged that 82 Division of the Nigerian Army is threaAtening to forcefully and unlawfully take over a property situated at Plot 30, Abakaliki Road, Enugu, which includes No. 7 Abakaliki Lane in the Government Reserved Area (GRA) of Enugu State.

The petition also alleged that 82 Division, in defiance to a letter from the Office of the Chief of Army Staff, decided to take the law into its hand and supplant the rule of law.

But the Army said such a claim was completely unfounded and intended to tarnish the ongoing efforts of the Nigerian Army to restore peace and tranquility in the South East region.

He said, “The said property is the Nigerian Army property that was last occupied by Col. Emeka Ugwuoke (rtd) during his service. The senior officer who was allocated the quarter during his service was removed therefrom by the Nigerian Army in April 2023, when he tried to convert the quarter to his private property. Surprisingly, it is on one corner of the property from where the Nigerian Army ejected the retired senior officer that the trespassers invaded.”

He reiterated that Nigerian Army is a disciplined institution that respects human rights and the rule of law and therefore, urged members of the public to disregard the narrative that suggests “the NA is acting unlawfully or without respect for due process”.

“The NA’s position is that the property remains under its ownership, until proven otherwise through appropriate legal channels, and any claims to the contrary are based on misinformation.

“Consequently, the Nigerian Army calls for a thorough investigation and due process to resolve the matter, and it stands ready to present its evidence of ownership to the competent authorities,” he added.

He reaffirmed the army’s commitment to the rule of law and the proper resolution of the dispute in accordance with Nigerian legal standards and provisions.