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The Imo State Government White Paper Implementation Committee on Lands and other Related Matters said it has recovered and returned a total of 987 properties from former governor Rochas Okorocha, to their owners.
Chairman of the committee, Professor Ukachukwu Awuzie, who made the disclosure on Monday, also alleged that he has been receiving threat calls from strange people while trying to complete the assignment.
Awuzie noted that the number of assets returned excluded several others, which the White paper recommended for investigation.
He said: “I can’t say the exact number yet, but it has been published. According to the White Paper, those with challenges are about 987. There are several other people whose land the White Paper said investigate and find out if the acquired land is within a government area, and we have not done that.”
On the alleged threats, Awuzie said “basically there are no serious challenges because we have the maximum support of the State government and agencies. I was an ASUU president, I don’t reckon with threats. I know the God I serve will have to do what is right at all times; we would all meet our creator one day.
Speaking on other discoveries, the committee chairman said they discovered that all of the processes of land revocation and allocation during Okorocha’s administration never followed due process.
He said: “What was alarming was that the government was run without due process and all the challenges we had arisen from the government not following due process.
“If you want to revoke lands, there are processes; you don’t revoke personal land and turn it to personal use. You can only revoke when there is a compelling government use at that moment; you don’t revoke land and give it to your families or friends.”
The committee, in their seat last week, had accused Senator Okorocha of partitioning and appropriating the properties located in various areas of the State to himself and his family members.