Abia State government has said it will scrutinise any request for land above five hectares from Federal Government no matter the purpose specified and gave a traditional ruler seven days to apologise over a RUGA land rumour or face legal action.
Speaking during a briefing in Umuahia, Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Uche Ihediwa, also dismissed the reports making the round that an expanse of land at Aro-Ngwa, in Osisioma Ngwa Local Government Area of the state has been mapped out for RUGA.
The state government accused a traditional ruler in Osisioma Ngwa council area of being behind the false reports that the land at Aro Ngwa has been acquired for RUGA, even when no certificate of occupancy has been issued and warned him to apologise or face court action.
While stressing that the acquisition of the land at Osisioma Ngwa predated the President Muhammadu Buhari administration, the Commissioner explained that the controversial land was mapped out at the request of the Federal Government in 2014 to construct a trailer park to decongest traffic in Aba, describing the rumors as unfounded and wicked.
His words: “We want to clear the air on this unfortunate, unfounded and malicious insinuations going round the state. The Land Use Act is very clear on the processes and procedures that can be followed before lands can be acquired.
“The man who is behind this false information is a traditional ruler in Osisioma Ngwa council. We have not even given a letter of allocation, let alone a certificate of occupancy for the trailer park.
“It will be insensitive for us to go against the entire South-East in the issue of RUGA. We are giving him seven days to apologise to Abia State government or we will meet him in court.”