Police Link Anambra Community Leader’s Murder to N39m Land Dispute

The Nigeria Police Force has linked the murder of a former Chairman and land agent of Ikem Nando Community in Anambra State, Emmanuel Nwanneniya, to a protracted dispute over N39 million realised from the sale of community land, leading to the arrest of five suspects.

The arrests followed a directive by the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Olatunji Rilwan Disu, who ordered operatives of the Force Intelligence Department’s Special Tactical Squad (STS) to intensify investigations into the killing.

Police said investigations uncovered what they described as a wider conspiracy surrounding a lingering dispute over the management of proceeds from community land sales.

Addressing journalists during the parade of the suspects in Abuja, the Coordinator of the Special Tactical Squad, ACP Victor Ogbeide Godfrey, said the crisis began after proceeds from the sale of community land were shared among the three clans that make up Ikem Nando Community.

According to him, one of the clans received about N39 million, following which community members, through a majority decision, agreed that the money should be invested in the construction of a community hall and other development projects.

Police, however, alleged that the decision was opposed by another faction, resulting in prolonged disagreements, hostility and repeated threats against those who supported the proposed projects.

Investigators said the dispute gradually escalated, with respected elders and community leaders allegedly becoming targets of intimidation and threats of kidnapping.

Godfrey disclosed that reports of the threats had earlier been made to the police and some suspects were invited for questioning and released after making statements.

Rather than restoring peace, police alleged that the hostility intensified and eventually culminated in the murder of Nwanneniya.

According to investigators, the suspects allegedly devised a plan to lure the deceased under the guise of discussing the purchase of a large expanse of land.

Believing he was meeting genuine buyers, Nwanneniya reportedly honoured the invitation, where he was allegedly overpowered at gunpoint, restrained and injected several times with S.P.L. Ketamine Hydrochloride 500mg/10ml, a restricted veterinary sedative.

Police further alleged that the suspects forced him to surrender access to his mobile phone and banking applications before abandoning him.

Investigators described the victim’s wife as providing one of the earliest breakthroughs in the case.

According to police, she informed detectives that her husband had told her he was leaving home to inspect land with prospective buyers. When he failed to return and repeated telephone calls went unanswered, she drove to the agreed meeting point where she found him lying motionless.

Police said her statement, together with digital evidence and intelligence analysis, enabled investigators to identify and arrest the suspects.

Speaking during the parade, Chief Ejimofor, a member of the community, alleged that he had repeatedly received threats that he would be kidnapped because he supported the decision to use the land proceeds for community development.

“The threats were reported to the police before Emmanuel Nwanneniya was killed,” he said, describing the murder as “a tragedy that has left the community living in fear.”

Also speaking, the Community Youth Leader, Ikechukwu Onagor, appealed to the Nigeria Police Force to investigate the death of his brother, whom he alleged died in circumstances connected with the same land dispute.

He urged investigators to determine whether the death formed part of the wider conspiracy uncovered during the investigation.

Police, however, said the separate case remains under active investigation and that no conclusions have been reached.

Godfrey described the operation as another success for intelligence-led policing and commended the operatives involved in the investigation.

He also acknowledged the operational support provided by the Inspector-General of Police, saying it contributed significantly to the successful arrest of the suspects.

The STS coordinator expressed concern over the alleged ease with which the restricted veterinary sedative was obtained, calling on the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) and other regulatory agencies to strengthen controls over restricted substances.

“We are concerned about the ease with which this restricted veterinary sedative was allegedly obtained. Regulatory agencies must strengthen oversight to prevent controlled substances from falling into criminal hands,” he said.

The police assured members of the public that investigations are continuing and vowed to identify and prosecute everyone connected with the alleged conspiracy.

The Force, however, reiterated that while significant evidence has been uncovered, all the suspects remain presumed innocent until proven guilty by a court of competent jurisdiction.