Tensions have escalated in Ochima community as a longstanding land dispute between residents and the Nigerian Army intensifies. Villagers allege that the military has been encroaching on over 540 hectares of ancestral land while operating a nearby shooting range, raising safety concerns and affecting daily life.
The situation worsened recently when soldiers reportedly began fencing off parts of the land, prompting residents to stage a peaceful protest. Participants carried placards reading “Army leave our land,” “Respect court order,” and “Stop destroying our farms,” reflecting their frustration.
The President General of Ochima Town Union, Gerald Ubaka, traced the dispute back to 2010 following a communal clash. He alleged that the Army initially intervened but later began occupying farmland and marking it as military property. Residents say repeated appeals to local and state authorities yielded no resolution.
The conflict escalated further in 2016 when the Army reportedly established a shooting range on the contested land. Villagers have reported incidents of stray bullets, including one that fatally injured a woman working on her farm. Youth leader Chukwudi Ugwu described living under constant fear of gunfire, urging Nigerians to intervene.
The community took legal action, and Gabriel Okafor said the High Court had ordered all parties to maintain the status quo. Despite this, residents claim the Army has begun fencing the land, further heightening tensions.
Elders and the traditional ruler, HRH Igwe Hyacinth Ezechinyere, lamented the impact on livelihoods, cultural heritage, and access to water and farmlands. Women, particularly widows, say they have been hardest hit, losing crops and essential resources.
The Nigerian Army acknowledged inquiries about the dispute but had not issued an official response at the time of reporting, leaving the matter unresolved and community tensions high.
