Moghalu slams Soludo’s performance, vows to recover Anambra with Labour Party

The President General of Umuoji Improvement Union, Chief Cyril Ifeanyi Muoemenam, was caught on tape bragging that he committed a crime when he sold the recovered erosion site land in his community in Anambra State and got away with it.

Chief Muoemenam said he was untouched because he enjoys good relationship with billionaire businessman, Chief Sir Emeka Offor, who got him off the hook.

Watch the video below:

Why Muoemenam was arrested

Anambra State Erosion Watershed and Climate Change Agency (ANSEWCCA) had, on May 27, 2025, in its Back-To-Office Report entitled “Site Visit at Umuoji Remediated Erosion Site Under NEWMAP For Routine Due Diligence“, identified the community as “heavily degraded by gully erosion menace”.

The Anambra State government, through the World Bank assisted Nigeria Erosion and Watershed Management Project (NEWMAP) intervened to rescue the community from the existential threat.

Particularly affected is the road network running from Aboh, through the Nkpor – Nnobi Road.

The contract for the remediation, civil and bioengineering transformation, of the degraded gully erosion site was signed on May 14, 2018.

Work commenced at the site on June 1, 2018, and 100% completion of the interventions, including construction of 3.3 kilometres road was achieved by June 2021.

This transformation of the degraded landscape was achieved at the cost of more than one billion Naira of Anambra common wealth.

However, the World Bank Operational Policies were designed to ensure that projects are environmentally sound, socially responsible, and required that the Project Affected Persons (PAPs) in these communities in Umuoji were compensated.

“Another very important requirement of the Operational Policies is that land already destroyed… degraded by erosion which are reclaimed will not be compensated for but will thereafter he prioritised for project sustainability.

“In other words, such land will be reserved and cordoned off to support sustainability of the interventions,” stated the report.

54 PAPs in Umuoji compensated

Consequently, the Anambra State Project Management Unit (SPMU) of NEWMAP, as approved by the Federal Project Management Unit (FPMU) and the World Bank, prepared the Resettlement Action Plan (RAP) and compensated fifty-four (54) PAPs in Umuoji for economic trees, structures, lands for workspace, setbacks and catchment basin.

The compensation happened around the corridor of the main drainage channels and the linger gully.

The people were compensated to stay away from the corridor to allow for workspace and sustainability of the interventions (allow the soil to heal).

The reclaimed and acquired land (compensated for) belongs to the government and people of Anambra State for the good of everyone.

Anambra NEWMAP ensured that project communities, including Umuoji, were carried along through the entire project implementation.

In Umuoji, the SPMU had the Community entry informing the then Igwe, the PG, the Community Heads, the Village Heads and Ndi Umuoji of the decision to intervene in the town.

As part of the exit strategy as driven by the World Bank, comprehensive stakeholders’ community engagement sessions were held where the leaders and community members were again informed about the completion of the project.

They were informed of their obligation to sustain the investments/interventions, including monitoring and protection of the reclaimed, remediated and acquired areas.

They are to ensure that the lands reclaimed and acquired, as cordoned off with perimeter fencing, are not trespassed into.

In addition to these multi-layers of engagements, consultations and sensitizations, the SPMU also established groups and committees of community members to participate in various aspects of the intervention.

These groups included Community Association, Community Interest Groups, Grievance Committees and Site Committee.

To the shock and chagrin of the contractors and Anambra State Government, a report was made by some members of the community that some land acquired by the state for the project have been encroached/trespassed.

ANSEWCCA makes shocking discovery

The ANSEWCCA team immediately arranged for a return visit.

In their “Back-To-Office Report dated July 1, 2o25, NEWMAP-EIB SPMU discovered “substantial violation of government reclaimed and acquired land in Umuoji as a result of the erosion control interventions”.

ANSEWCCA said that it also received a report from Honourable Councilor representing the good people of Umuoji at the Idemili-North L G A Legislative Council, Hon. Engr. Innocent Nnagbo, that certain people have invaded and removed the perimeter fence.

The fence, installed with wire gauze and galvanized iron pipes, was used to cordon off the acquired area.

The accused people sold portions of the government land to private individual(s).

ANSEWCCA interrogated the compensated people and confirmed the reports received from concerned community members.

The following discoveries were made:

• The edifice of interventions in the community has largely been defaced by a number of unauthorized encroachments.
• More than 95% of kilometers of perimeter fence with which the project area, the remediated, reclaimed and acquired land was cordoned off has been almost completely removed
• People now have unauthorized access to these areas and now using the space in an unsustainable manner.
• These unauthorized accesses to the areas were allegedly ‘approved’ by the town union, Umuoji Improvement Union (UlU), under the leadership of Chief Sir Cyril Ifeanyi Muoemenam, at some cost to the trespassers.
• The perimeter fence was purportedly removed by the community leadership, the office of the President General of UIU and the Executives.
• Chief Muoemenam moved some quantities of the removed perimeter fence to Umuoji Civic Center and the field officers that visited the venue during the site visit on 27th May 2025, physically confirmed that the materials were kept there, took pictures and videos.
• The remediated, reclaimed and/or acquired lands have been compromised and trespassed in various ways, including building developments, farming, etc.
• The reclaimed/acquired land was backfilled and fenced off with the intention of being used for personal or private purposes.
• About 60 meters from this spot, another massive concrete structure, culvert, was installed and filled over the NEWMAP constructed drainage channel without informing the Agency, in preparation for further unauthorized use.
• At another spot, some sections of the 2-storey building being constructed encroached into the area cordoned off with perimeter fence.
• There are series of encroachments along the corridor of the main drainage channel (along the tarred road) including fence works and culverts because the leadership of the town allegedly gave the so-called ‘approval’ and removed the perimeter fence.
• The biggest encroachment and trespass is the removal of the perimeter fence and selling of the portion of land acquired.
• Another serious infringement is that the supposed buyer of the land, used as catchment basin, broke/cracked a section of the finger drainage channel obviously in a bid to install access concrete slab.

Muoemenam also, allegedly, extorted money from the members of the community to allow them make use of the unauthorized lands.

He also allegedly extorted money from the original/authentic landowners to allow them access their land which was not compensated for.

He reportedly forced Mr. Menkiti Somtochukwu to pay the sum of N1.2 million through one Mr. Obiora Nwachukwu, the Chairman of the Land Committee.

“These encroachments in Umuoji and for the very fact that it is coming from the constituted authority of the town is very unfortunate, doesn’t show goodwill and unimaginable betrayal of trust,” ANSEWCCA lamented.

ANSEWCCA, therefore, made the following prayers to the state government:

1. That Mr. Governor consider the report and the danger/risk to the hundreds of thousands of the residents in Umuoji of possible reverse outcome of the menace of gully erosion returning to the area due to the encroachments, unauthorized and unsustainable use.
2. That the leadership of the Umuoji Improvement Union (UIU) under Muoemenam, the culprit, and their accomplices be made to reverse the sale of the land and return the proceeds to the buyers.
3. That all the encroachments be reversed and status quo maintained.
4. That all the structures including houses, fences, etc. within the unauthorized areas previously cordoned off with the perimeter fence, be removed immediately.
5. That Muoemenam and his gang re-install the perimeter fence around all the areas they removed same
6. That Muoemenam be made to refund the proceeds of the alleged extortions to the unsuspecting victims.
7. That the culprit, Muoemenam and his accomplices are prosecuted according to the extant laws.

Muoemenam arrested

It was on the basis of this report that Muoemenam and his gang of extortioners were arrested by secular authorities.

Sequel to this, ANSEWCCA, on Jully 23, 2025, wrote Chief Muoemenam over “Removal of unauthorised developments close to public erosion control structures, reversal of the sale of land acquired through compensation and re-installation of the perimeter fence in Umuoji – call for immediate action“.

The letter, jointly signed by NEWMAP-EIB MD/CEO, ANSEWCCA Project Coordinator, Prof. Philip 0. Phil-Eze, and Chairman, Steering Committee NEWMAP-EIB, Engr. Dr. Felix Odimegwu, the Commissioner for Environment, reads:

“The attention of the State Government has been drawn to the issue of unauthorized developments that negatively impact the effort of the State and her Foreign development partners as regards the erosion control structures constructed for the good people of Umuoji in Idemili North LGA.

“The State Government notes that not only has the public setback for public drains been violated, but green belts deliberately created and paid for, through implementation of RAP (payment of compensation) have been destroyed by the unauthorized developments.

“This noble effort was the outcome of long years of work under the Nigeria Erosion and Watershed Management Project (NEWMAP) in which Umuoji was graciously selected out of 179 Communities in Anambra State.

The Government very sadly notes as follows:

1. Removal of the Perimeter Fence Installed by NEWMAP — The removal of the perimeter fence which was used to cordon off reclaimed and acquired areas as reserve for the sustainability of the investments/interventions by the leadership of the Umuoji Improvement Union is most regrettable.
2. Non-Compliance to Community Ownership Arrangement – The State through the Nigeria Erosion and Watershed Project (NEWMAP) over the years vigorously canvassed and sensitized your community, on Community ownership, Community Maintenance and Preservation of all erosion control structures both concrete and bioremediation. This understanding has been breached by this very sad development.
3. Development Partnership Rules About Non-Compensation for Lands already destroyed by Erosion that were reclaimed by the Project and Compensation for Existing Land not impacted at all by erosion – NEWMAP offered compensation for existing lands (during the intervention) and no compensation for land already destroyed by erosion but reclaimed during the intervention. All of which shall be preserved for greater public good. Under the laws of Anambra State such lands shall not be violated or trespassed into again (See Anambra State Environmental Management, Protection and Administration Law, 2024). Either way, this has also been sadly breached yet again.
4. Selling of the Land acquired (through compensation) used for Catchment basin by the Leadership of UIU – The biggest encroachment and trespass in the community is the removal of the perimeter fence and selling of the portion of land acquired (through compensation), used for work space, setback and catchment basin which is a stormwater structure. This piece of land is located along the Finger Gully, besides Mr. Chukwuemeka Menkiti compound, and was sold by the PG of Ulu.
5. Extortion of the Members of the Community by the Leadership of UIU to allow them make use of Unauthorized areas or access their own Lands not reclaimed/acquired by NEWMAP – The leadership of the Umuoji Improvement Union (UIU) also allegedly extorts money from the members of the community to al!ow them make use of the unauthorized lands. They even extorted money from the original/authentic land owners to allow them access their land that was not compensated for. For example, one Mr. Menkiti Somtochukwu (09040209201), a brother to one Mr. Chukwuemeka Menkiti, who was compensated for a portion of their land, was forced to pay the sum of One Million and Two Hundred Thousand Naira to the leadership of UIU, to allow him access their land that was not compensated for, still rightly in their custody.
6. Anambra State Physical Planning Laws on Development in Relation to Compulsory Setbacks from Public drains – Under the laws of Anambra State, there is compulsory minimum of distance in meters set back required for any new development near public drains. This also has been violated.
7. Compulsory Approval from Physical Planning Authority – The developers have carried on without consideration to approval from the proper Physical planning authority both at the State and at the Local Government levels. Record of such approval and the officers of the State who issued such does not exist with our office – being an interested party in that environment as the custodian of the intervention. Should such approval exist, it is the firm belief of the State that such could have been fraudulently procured as no officer of the State will issue an approval for the destruction of public assets in such flagrant manner. This in itself renders such null and void if it exists as it runs afoul of procedures and standard ethics.
8. Position of the Laws of Anambra on Erosion sites and Ecologically Endangered zones – Under the laws of Anambra State, land use in and around erosion sites and other ecologically endangered zones shall reside with the State. See (Part 2 Section 15 of Anambra State Environmental Management, Protection and Administration Law, 2024) which categorically states, inter alia, that ANSEWCCA shall:

(a) manage and maintain reclaimed land areas and other assets Acquired by Anambra State Government under NEWMAP by liaising with State Ministries, Department and Agencies (MDAs) for related implementation and enforcement matters.

(b) protect and reclaim erosion sites, flood plains, degraded and bad Lands in Anambra State.

(c) enforce on land-use around and within erosion site and erosion risk environments in Anambra State by providing regulative oversight, control on land-use and protection of natural habitats within erosion sites and erosion risk environments and aid in the collection of penalties from offenders if any. This legal procedure was also not adhered to by the developers.

9. Overriding Powers of the State Under the Land Use Act – The developers and indeed all parties are hereby also put on notice that compliant to the Land Use Act of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the State Government has through the relevant laws and engagements made it very clear that development along that drainage line is completely unacceptable. Consequent on the above, the Government of Anambra State hereby direct as follows:

a. Immediate removal of all structures erected on the sides of the public drainage constructed in Umuoji (beyond the boundary previously cordoned off with perimeter fence) from its start to finish by the developers within one week.

b. The PG and Executive of UIU to fully replace/reinstall the perimeter fence as it were before encroachments (to the extent to which they were originally put in place) for the protection of the remediated/reclaimed gully. This should be achieved within one month.

c. The PG and Executive of UIU to immediately and fully reverse the sale of the land acquired and used as catchment basin, return the proceeds to the so-called buyers.

d. The PG and Executive of UIU to immediately and fully refund all monies collected from people (actually, extorted from unsuspecting public) to illegally grant access to intruders or to allow access to original owners of the land.

e. That all the necessary organs of the Community are hereby put on notice that they have an obligation to ensure that directives a, b, c and d above are fully complied to in the overall interest of Umuoji and in the spirit of the interventions in the community.

f. That upon the full completion of the directives above, the Community shall notify the Agency in writing of the full compliance to this directive and shall request a joint inspection of the completely vacated setback and replaced perimeter fence. That letter shall also clearly confirm the Community’s commitment to no-further encroachment from the beginning to the end of the reclaimed gully site

g. Delay in compliance to these directives will bring the full weight of the law from the Government of Anambra and the Federal Government on the culprits. While assuring you of our highest cooperation and regards, we hope for your maximum cooperation in the interest of the good people of Umuoji Community to which the Government of Anambra State is truly committed.”

The letter was copied for action to Governor Charles Chukwuma Soludo of Anambra State, Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Solo Chukwudobelu, National Project Coordinator NEWMAP EIB, Engr. Ayuba Anda, Federal Project Management Unit FPMU Abuja, Air Vice Marshall Ben Chic& Rtd., SPAD Security, Anambra State Commissioner of Police, Commissioner for Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy affairs, the Executive Chairman LGA, Chief Bar. Justin Arinze Okaro, Chairman NEWMAP Site Committee Umuoji , et al.

Amidst all these daunting accusations, indictment and arrest, Muoemenam was heard dragging the name of Chief Offor to the mud, claiming that he could commit such atrocity and get away with it.

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