The group called on the federal government, human rights groups, and international organisations o investigate the actions of both the Imo State Government and the Zion Ministry.
By Saidu Idris
365Daily – The Mbaishii people of Imo State have accused the state government and the Zion Ministry, led by Evangelist Ebuka Obi, of forcefully seizing 30,000 hectares of ancestral farmland in what they described as an act of “economic genocide.”
At a press briefing in Abuja, the Mbaishii People’s Assembly said farmlands cultivated during the 2024 farming season were destroyed under the supervision of heavily armed security personnel, including members of the Nigerian Army and police.
The group said the destruction affected crops such as cassava, yams, potatoes, vegetables, and plantains, as well as poultry and piggery farms, and palm and plantain plantations. They described the lands as a generational source of food and economic survival for the communities.
Community leaders, including elders, women, and youth representatives, shared emotional accounts of the demolition, saying children and families were left devastated as bulldozers cleared the lands.
“This is not development. This is a systemic annihilation of our livelihood,” a spokesperson said. They alleged that the state government handed the land over to the Zion Ministry under “false pretenses” and in violation of existing court rulings.
They also questioned the legality of allocating community land to a religious organisation for private use, arguing that even if the acquisition had followed due process—which they insist it did not—its use for religious and commercial purposes undermines any claim of public interest.
The group called on the federal government, human rights groups, and international organisations o investigate the actions of both the Imo State Government and the Zion Ministry. They also demanded the immediate withdrawal of security personnel from the area.
“This assault on our economic base has all the features of a genocide. A silent, systematic erasure of a people’s means of survival,” the spokesperson said.
Appealing directly to President Bola Tinubu, the Chief of Army Staff, and the Inspector-General of Police, the Mbaishii communities urged intervention to stop what they called “executive lawlessness.”
They also called on journalists and media outlets to independently investigate the claims and shine a spotlight on what they described as a “blatant abuse of power, a breach of fundamental rights, and a threat to democracy.”
“This is no longer just about land,” the group said. “It is about the soul of justice, the dignity of human life, and the survival of our people.”