TENSION IN OWERRI MUNICIPAL; …..AS Umuoyima Women Protest, call on Gov. to wade in.

By Iyke-Jacobs Nwosu in Owerri.

Owerri Municipal council is being engulfed with tension and palpable fears as two people were allegedly shot when security operatives, Tuesday 25th. March 2025 clashed at the old Ogbosisi Market ( Timber ) market Whetheral road Owerri with Land owners and Entraco over illegal structures.

Consequently , a group of women from Umuoyima Community matched to Imo state government House, Wednesday to register their position.

Mrs Georgelyn Mbanu, President -general , Ndom Umuoyima who spoke with Journalists at government House gate disclosed that their protest was to ask the Executive governor of Imo state Senator Hope Uzodimma to intervene .

The group maintained that their position that the Ogbo- Osisi land was ceded to the community after Local government earlier situated Timber market there .
Mrs Mbanu acknowledged that Imo state government under Chief Dr Achike Udenwa relocated the market to present Timber market at Naze .
Since then the land reverted back to the Umuoyima Community . She said their untmost regret was encumbrances by some powerful individuals in Umuoyima and neighbouring Villages that started balkanizing the lands.

The Women group appealed to the state government to wade in to save the community agonies and denials . One of their Placards accused One Emma Ugorji of complicity in the sale of the Umuoyima ancestral lands.

When our Correspondent asked why Men did not take up the challenge , the women refered to one Community leader , Mr Kenneth Onyewuchi who acknowledged that their community is actually disturbed since the demise of their traditional Ruler , HRH Eze C. Uba coupled with absence of a President -general.

Meanwhile the matter is expected to Come up at Imo state High Court 7 presided over by Hon. Justice Opara.