Words:Adedosu 'kenzy' Adekunle
Nkem Owoh better known as Osuofia was in a land tussle with a poor and helpless widow, not many believed us. Most people felt we were reporting a 'Nollywood movie' but that was not the case as we can confirm to you that the widow, Mrs Ayogu has now petitioned the Enugu State police commissioner.
According to a copy of the petitioned retrieved, Mrs Ayogu alleged that Osuofia is trying to use his popularity and some forces in the Nigerian police to humiliate and force her to forgo her only asset, which was the land her late husband left for her and the children.When we contacted Mrs Ayogu on the matter, She confirmed to us that Osuofia is trying to force her part ways with her land. She also to us that the actor, who is an MTN ambassador, sent some thugs to pull down the structure she had already put on the land.
When we tried to put a call through to Osuofia to get his side of the story, his known numbers were not going through as they were not reachable as at press time. An advocacy foundation, Zahara Women Foundation has already taken up the case.
A copy of the petition written by the woman is presented below.
The Commissioner of Police
Enugu State Police Command
Enugu
Dear Sir.
WILLFUL DESTRUCTION OF MY HOUSE @ PLOT 11 EMEHELUAKU LAYOUT, TRANS EKULU ENUGU BY MR NKEM OWOH (OSUOFIA) AND HIS AGENTS
I know that you have a listening ear and would hear the cry of an oppressed and helpless widow. I know that your intervention will enable me get justice from those who think they are stronger than me. I believe that my cry to you for help will not return without getting the proper assistance.
I woke up in the morning of Monday October 1, 2012 only to hear that a house I am building to provide shelter for my little children at Plot 11 Emeheluaku Layout, Trans Ekulu, Enugu, has been destroyed by Mr Nkem Owoh (also known as Osuofia) and his agents.
Like thieves, they came at night to rob me of the only possession I am saving to be home for my children in the future. When neighbours called me to give me this information, I thought it was not true but on getting to the site, my heart broke as I saw my labours and toils and savings and sacrifices of several years completely destroyed by a man who have for sometime been persuading me to part with the said plot of land.
My encounter with Mr Nkem Owoh began shortly after my husband, Mr Ben Ayogu died in December, 2004, just months after we purchased this plot of Land.
Being a teacher, I had saved with my husband to buy this particular plot of land and we were already making plans to build on it when the cold hands of death stole him from me, leaving me to look after our very little children, the oldest of whom was just five (five) years old then.
After mourning my husband, I discovered that there were some missing documents from our apartment, the most important of which was the documents for this plot of land. I raised the alarm then and when nobody came forth with information on its whereabouts, I quickly ran to the Nigeria Police Station at Abakpa Junction here in Enugu to make a report.
I also went to the Ministry of Lands, where, armed with the police extract, I was able to obtain the Certified True Copy (CTC) of the property. But not long after, Mr Nkem Owoh appeared, claiming ownership of the land. I tried to inform him that I had neither sold the land nor authorized its sale to anybody but he insisted the plot belonged to him.
The matter continued to drag between us until it got to a point when he began to ask that we settle. Having not sold the land and having no intention to sell the land, I told him there was nothing to settle. He persuaded me with all manner of offers, including that of paying extra money to motivate me to relinquish the land but I said no.
Sir, this plot of land is perhaps the only major valuable I was able to invest in with my husband and we did it then because we wanted a proper home for our children. Even now, as I struggle to bring them up, this land remains the only valuable property that we have.
So when Mr Nkem Owoh felt he was not succeeding in persuading me to part with this land, he began to use threats and on several occasions said he was going to forceful take possession of the land and vowed that since I claimed God will fight for me, that I had better bring down my Creator when the chips are down.
Each time he comes to meet me, he usually came with a retinue of dangerous looking thugs but I was never to be cowed into giving him the only property I am leaving for my children.
Because my salary was barely enough to pay our rent, pay for the school fees of the children and provide for their upkeep, I felt it was proper to construct a house no matter how small on the land so that we can move in and thus begin to save what we were using to pay house rents.
Thus I began construction four years ago (in 2008). I was slowly building this potential home of ours because my income was not large enough for speedy construction. I had to even take a loan to enable us finish and park in this year.
Sir, this building had been practically completed. I had roofed the house and was about hanging the doors and windows, having also installed the frames when Nkem Owoh and his agents struck, bringing the entire structure, my four years of labour to ordinary rubble.
I have nowhere else to go except to your esteemed office. I am a poor widow. I have no other source of help except from God and from public spirited people like you.
When I saw the damage done to this property of mine, I ran to the Trans Ekulu Police Station where I was rebuffed by an officer who, even without investigating the matter, concluded that Nkem Owoh is not a trouble maker and could never have done such evil. This officer refused my entreaties and sent me away, saying Police do not treat land matters. But sir, this is not just a land matter. It is a criminal destruction of property.
I left heart-broken. He WILLFULLY destroyed all I labored for. He did it because he is rich and perhaps popular enough to act his way out of justice.
I cry to you knowing what you have done in the past to help helpless people like me. I cry to you because someone is trying to forcefully take my property from me. I cry to you because I trust in your willingness, disposition and capacity to give justice to the oppressed.
My confidence is high, knowing that you shall help us find justice. I therefore kindly pray that you use your good office to cause that this criminal destruction of my house be handed over to another police station or team, especially since the Trans Ekulu Police have shown very clear prejudice at thievery onset.
My life and those of my children are also in danger. Nkem Owoh, a man society should look up to for good examples had severally threatened to deal with me for my refusal to let him take my land.
He had stated he would deal with me. And seeing the crowd of horrible looking thugs he keeps company with, I feel really threatened. A man capable of destroying such a property has the capacity to destroy just about anything standing in the way of him having his way.
Attached are the Certified True Copy (CTC) of the property given to me by the State Ministry of Lands; the police extract of my report and the picture of the building.
Thank you very much for your anticipated speedy intervention in this matter.
Very Truly Yours
Gloria U. Ayogu (Mrs.)
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