Ochima residents protest military activity after bomb discovery on farmland

Summary

• Residents of Ochima in Enugu State protest after a live explosive was found on their farmland
• Community blames Nigerian Army’s 82 Division for ongoing threats to lives and property
• Leaders call for relocation of nearby military shooting range amid unresolved legal action

Enugu, Nigeria — Residents of Ochima community in Igbo-Etiti Local Government Area, Enugu State, staged a peaceful protest on May 10, 2025, after discovering a live explosive, described by locals as a “bomb”, on their farmland.

This discovery marks the second such incident in two years and has deepened fears over community safety, which residents attribute to nearby military exercises by the Nigerian Army’s 82 Division.

Carrying placards with messages like “Nigerian Army should leave Ochima community alone” and “Government should come and rescue Ochima community from Nigerian Army,” the residents expressed frustration over what they described as years of trauma, displacement, and danger caused by military activities in the area.

Stray bullets and missiles have reportedly caused injuries, property damage, and even fatalities, including the death of a woman named Gloria in February 2022.

The Ochima Town Union President General, Gerald Okwesili Ubaka, confirmed that the recent explosive was reported to the Police Divisional Headquarters at Ogbede, which subsequently contacted the Police Anti-Bomb Squad in Enugu. The device was successfully neutralized on the same day it was discovered.

Local leaders, including Hon. Engr. Onyebuchi Otoboeze, Senior Special Adviser on Works in Igbo-Etiti, and Lawrence Igwe, Station Catechist of Holy Child Catholic Church, Ochima, commended the local government’s swift response.

However, they stressed the need for immediate intervention from both the state and federal governments, urging that the military shooting range be relocated to protect lives and restore normalcy.

The community previously staged protests over a similar incident in 2024 and has taken legal action against the military, with the case still pending in court. The Nigerian Army has not issued any public statement regarding the recent allegations or the protest.