When we first exclusively reported last week that popular Nollywood
actor, Nkem Owoh better known as Osuofia was in a land tussle with a
poor and helpless widow, not many believed us.
Mrs Ayogu has now petitioned the Enugu State police commissioner.
According to a copy of the petitioned Nigeriafilms.com 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.
Nigeriafilms.com contacted Mrs Ayogu on the matter. She confirmed to
Nigeriafilms.com 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, Zaraha Women 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.)