Tension in Arua City as notice of eviction is served to residents of a different village
The official boundary between Ayibiri and Ocolini cell. Photo Credit; Andrew Cohen Amvesi
ARUA CITY – Tension is mounting in Ayibiri Cell, Onzivu Ward, Ayivu Division, after residents received an eviction notice that was meant for a neighbouring village.
The eviction notice pertains to a land dispute in Ocolini Cell, Bunyu Ward, also in Ayivu Division. It stems from Civil Suit No. 005 of 2006 between Adonge Sally and Bithum Charles.
The court ruled in favour of Adonge on December 3, 2015, for a parcel of land measuring approximately 8 acres.
Eventually on April 26, 2024, the Chief Magistrate’s Court in Arua issued an eviction and demolition order for the suit land.
However, trouble arose when Adonge began serving the eviction notice to residents of Ayibiri Cell instead of Ocolini Cell, where the disputed land is located. In the notice, residents were instructed to vacate their land or face forceful eviction and demolition of their properties.
The affected residents, through their lawyer Samuel Ondoma of Alaka & Company Advocates, protested the erroneous service. They submitted proof showing that the notice had been wrongly served in Ayibiri Cell. The evidence included letters from the Local Council I (LC1) chairpersons of both Ocolini and Ayibiri cells.
In a letter dated May 8, 2024, Charles Eguma, LC1 Chairperson of Ayibiri Cell, stated: “Adonge Sally does not have land in my village, Ayibiri Cell, Onzivu Ward, Ayivu Division in Arua City. I have seen her letter claiming land in Ocolini village, Bunyu Ward, and the letters of administration. Therefore, I request that, in order not to cause confusion, please stop issuing wrong directives in my village.”
In a follow-up letter dated February 4, 2026, Eguma questioned how a court demolition notice for land in Ocolini Cell was being served on residents of Ayibiri Cell, who are not parties to the case.
Speaking to journalists over the weekend, Eguma maintained that it was illegal for Adonge to attempt to evict his residents, as she does not own any land in Ayibiri Cell. He affirmed that the land in question belongs to the family of the late Quirino Opio, distinct from the suit land in Ocolini Cell.
Similarly, Michael Ezoa, LC1 Chairperson of Ocolini Cell, confirmed that Adonge had previously been allocated some land in Ocolini but later sold it, leaving her with no land in the village.
“As of now, Miss Adonge Sally has no land in Ocolini Cell, Bunyu Ward, Ayivu Division, Arua City. The border between Ocolini Cell and the neighbouring Ayibiri Cell is very clear,” Ezoa said.
Federiko Owinyi, a 77-year-old elder born in Ayibiri Cell, also stated that there is no historical record of Adonge owning land in the area. He recalled that her stepfather, Silivano Wayi, had been given land to settle on in Ocolini village many years ago, which she should have claimed instead.
In response to an application filed by the administrators of the Estate of the Late Quirino L. Opio — Opio Herbert, Opio Pope Paul Olwor, Giramia Joyce, Ocirican Albert, and Oroma Mareret, Adonge told the court that Quirino Opio died in 2003, but the applicants only sought letters of administration in 2024.
She further alleged that they deliberately omitted Bithum Charles and Opio Richard, who also claim ownership of the suit land. Adonge described the application as a waste of the court’s time and a tactic to delay her from enjoying the fruits of litigation since the year 2000.