No Land Was Sold – Orokam Elders Fire Back at ‘False’ Allegations

The A’Inamu community in Orokam district of Ogbadibo Local Government Area, Benue State, has denied allegations of land-grabbing involving several of its prominent figures, including retired Major General John Enenche.

According to a statement obtained by iReporter Online, the community, through the Assistant General Secretary of the A’Inamu Development Association (ADA) National, Mr. Akor Enokela, refuted claims recently circulated in media reports and on radio by Barrister James Onyirofie on behalf of Emmanuel Ogabor and others. The statement described the allegations as a deliberate smear campaign targeted at damaging the reputations of respected community leaders.

As gathered from the statement, there was no instance where the community’s eldest custodian authorized the sale or transfer of land to the individuals making the accusations. The reported incident of sand excavation involving Maj. Gen. Enenche (rtd), according to the community, was solely for the purpose of improving local infrastructure and not a commercial transaction.

Sources within the community expressed concern over the distortion of facts, clarifying that the so-called “A’Inamu Youths” mentioned in the reports do not represent the official youth body of the community. They praised the leadership of the recognised A’Inamu Youths Association, headed by Pastor Emmanuel Iyaba, for maintaining peace and discipline over the years.

The statement strongly condemned attempts to implicate the traditional ruler of the Orokam and Owukpa districts, as well as Chief Joseph Idoko and others, in what it described as unfounded and malicious claims. It urged the public to disregard the allegations, stressing that the matter is currently under legal scrutiny.

According to sources familiar with the dispute, the A’Inamu clan views the accusations as both baseless and damaging to long-standing relationships within the broader Orokam community. The statement concluded with a call for calm and a reaffirmation of trust in the judicial process to resolve the matter.