Nimo Women stage naked protest, seek Anambra Monarch removal

In a rare and symbolic act of protest, hundreds of women from Nimo community in Njikoka Local Government Area of Anambra State stormed the State Government House in Awka on Wednesday, March 26, 2025, to demand justice over alleged illegal land sales.

The women, who stripped naked in a traditional expression of deep anguish, accused their traditional ruler, Owelle Max Ike Oliobi, of unlawfully selling communal lands and engaging in other activities that have thrown the community into crisis.

Carrying placards and chanting protest songs, they urged Governor Chukwuma Soludo to intervene, claiming that their ancestral farmlands were being sold without their consent, leaving them without a means of livelihood.

“Our lands are being taken away from us. We can no longer farm, and they want to push us into suffering and desperation,” lamented Mrs. Ngozi Okochi, who spoke on behalf of the women.

In a petition submitted to the governor, the women accused Owelle Oliobi of working with the President-General of the Nimo Town Development Union (NTDU), Mr. Ekenenna Okafor-Omabor, and other community leaders to sell communal lands. They claimed this had fueled unrest, particularly among the youth, who rely on the lands for survival.

The protesters also alleged that the monarch had used security operatives to silence opposition, arresting dissenters and labeling them as criminals. One of their major grievances was the alleged sale of 264 plots of land to the neighboring Eziowelle community without the consent of the rightful owners.

While addressing the protesters, the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Prof. Solo Chukwulobelu, expressed concern over the crisis and assured them that the government would intervene. He promised that the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters, Hon. Tony Collins Nwabunwanne, would brief the governor on the matter and invite all parties for a resolution.

The women also submitted petitions to the Anambra State House of Assembly, seeking legislative intervention.

However, the Nimo Town Development Union (NTDU) has previously dismissed similar allegations, insisting that the land sales were approved by the community’s General Assembly and managed transparently. The traditional ruler has also denied any wrongdoing, maintaining that all transactions were carried out legally.

As of the time of this report, neither Owelle Max Ike Oliobi nor the NTDU had responded to the latest protest, while the Anambra State Police Command has yet to comment on allegations of harassment and unlawful arrests.