A traditional ruler in Abia state, His Royal Highness, Eze Obioma Nworgu, has challenged some members of his community to kill him or he gets them killed over a land dispute.
Eze Nworgu who is the traditional ruler of Etitioha Ipu, Ukwa West Local council has been enmeshed in a tussle over a parcel of land situated at Umuegusi, Owasa Asa, said to belong to the Nwoke family.
Pointblanknews.com gathered that the royal father had on September 2, 2012 summoned members of his community and informed them that the members of the Nwoke family sued him to court. According to a resident of the community who pleaded anonymity, at the meeting, Eze Nworgu to the surprise of the people, said he has declared war against all members of the Nwoke family, stating that whoever have the means is free to kill the other.
The source stated that sometime in 1994, Nworgu and his brother trespassed into the said land of the Nwokes, resulting in them being dragged to the Customary Court at Obehie. He added that the Nwoke family obtained judgment to their favour at the court which the monarch did not appeal against.
But in 2001 when Eze Nworgu became the traditional ruler of the area, he re-entered the land, using his office to suppress the customary court’s judgment.
On being crowned as the Eze of Etitioha Ipu in 2001, Eze Obioma Nworgu started threatening the Nwoke’s not to enter the land again. All efforts made by well meaning individuals for the traditional ruler to respect the court judgment fell on deaf ears.
In a bid to possess the land, the monarch was said to have at different times,engaged the services of policemen from the Aba Area Command and the Zone 9, Umuahia, to harass and intimidate members of the Nwoke family.
As a result of Eze Nworgu’s lack of regard for due process, the lawyer to the Nwokes, Chika Uhuaba has petitioned Gov. Theodore Orji of Abia State against the monarch over his alleged forceful entry into his clients’ property and disobedience to court order.
In the petition titled “Abuse of Ezeship stool by HRH Eze Obioma Nworgu of Etitioha Ipu, Ukwa West Local Governmentâ€, Uhuaba narrated how Nworgu used his position as the traditional ruler of the community to trespass on a parcel of land situate at Umuegusi, Owasa Asa and belonging to the Nwoke family, his clients.