Outrage in Urum Over Alleged Sale of 1,000 Plots of Ochiokwa Land As Community Issues Caveat Emptor
Outrage in Urum Over Alleged Sale of 1,000 Plots of Ochiokwa Land as Community Issues Caveat Emptor
By Chukwudi Ebele
Tension is mounting in Urum Community, Anambra State, over the alleged sale of more than 1,000 plots of land at Ochiokwa to a private developer for the construction of an estate project known as “Heaven Estate.”
The disputed land, located in Urum, Awka, within Awka North Local Government Area, is said to be communal property.
Community leaders claim it was sold without the knowledge or consent of the President-General or the Town Union leadership.
The developer at the centre of the controversy, Mr. Chukwuemeka Okechukwu Kingsley, popularly known as Nwagu Ata Ahihia and reportedly associated with Nwagu Ata Afiafia Property and Homes, is accused of laying claim to over 1,000 plots of the Ochiokwa land, situated along the boundary between Urum, Achalla and Amanuke.
Community sources allege that he does not possess valid documentation issued by the Urum Town Union authorising the transaction.
In response to the development, youths, elders and members of the community leadership, led by the President-General of Urum, Hon. Sir Felix Godwin Oranye, visited the Ochiokwa site to warn the developer to desist from further entry or development activities.
Addressing community members, the President-General described Ochiokwa as ancestral land, recounting that lives were lost in past communal conflicts over its ownership before Urum reclaimed it.
He emphasised that the land holds deep historical and cultural significance and should not be treated as ordinary property.
The community further warned the Anambra State Ministry of Lands and its officials against issuing any Certificate of Occupancy (C of O) or endorsing documentation in favour of the developer or any associates in respect of the disputed land.
According to the President-General, efforts over the past year to resolve the matter peacefully have yielded no results.
He alleged that farmlands cultivated by Urum women, as well as economic trees valued at millions of naira, were destroyed during what he described as illegal development activities on the land.
He questioned claims that the transaction was endorsed by the traditional ruler and the Onowu, noting that no documentary evidence had been presented to the community leadership. He further stated that the broader community has denied involvement in or knowledge of any land sale agreement.
The President-General also referenced an earlier intervention involving the traditional ruler of Nnewi, where, according to him, the developer was unable to produce relevant documents to substantiate his claim.In a separate development, Mr. Kingsley was reportedly seen in a video recorded at the site, inviting investors to acquire property in the proposed estate.
In the footage, he described the project as a developmental initiative intended to bring growth to the area.
He maintained that the estate project is legitimate and encouraged other developers to invest in Urum, citing its proximity to Awka and accessibility from Regina Caeli Junction.
He dismissed opposition from segments of the community, insisting that his mission is solely to promote development.
He also promoted the “Heaven Estate Awka,” stating that his personal residence within the estate would be completed by February next year and urging members of the public, particularly Ndigbo, to invest.
Meanwhile, the Urum Community has published a caveat emptor in the February 12, 2026 edition of the Vanguard Newspapers, page 25, alerting the public to what it described as fraudulent activities concerning its ancestral land at Ochiokwa.
The notice, titled “Formal Caveat and Request to Suspend All Land File Actions, Registration and Issuance of Certificate of Occupancy in Respect of Ochiokwa Land Situate at Urum Village, Awka, Awka North Local Government Area of Anambra State Covered by Dispute Survey Plan No: AYO/AN/3081/2025/151D Subject Matter of Suit Nos: A/324/2025 and A/377/2025,” stated that the land is currently the subject of litigation before the High Court of Anambra State, Awka Judicial Division.
According to the publication, members of Urum Village are plaintiffs in Suit No. A/324/2025, while Nwaguataihihia Properties and Homes Limited and Mr. Chukwuemeka Okechukwu Kingsley are listed among the defendants.
A related matter, Suit No. A/377/2025, also involves the same parties in reversed roles.
The solicitors to the community declared that the Ochiokwa land is subject to ongoing litigation and formally placed the Ministry of Lands on notice of lis pendens.
They accused the defendants of allegedly attempting to process land registration and obtain Certificates of Occupancy despite full knowledge of the pending suits.
The solicitors warned that any such action would be considered overreaching, fraudulent and contemptuous of the court.
They therefore demanded an immediate suspension of all administrative actions relating to the land, including the opening of land files, registration processes and issuance of any consent or certificate, pending judicial determination of the suits.
The notice ended with a demand for an official restriction to be placed on all relevant land registry records concerning the disputed property until the cases are resolved.
