Derick Derickson, Press Secretary in the Office of the Governor, dismissed the accusations as “baseless and politically motivated,” saying they were intended to tarnish the reputation of the state leadership and undermine ongoing land governance reforms.
“The Office of the Governor of Central Equatoria State has taken note of misleading and malicious allegations circulating on social media accusing H.E. Governor Emmanuel Adil Anthony of involvement in land grabbing,” Derick said in a statement seen by Sudans Post on Monday.
“I wish to state categorically that such claims are false, baseless, and politically motivated, intended to undermine the personality of the governor and the state government he leads.”
He stressed that land allocation processes remain the responsibility of relevant government institutions, including the Ministry of Housing, Land, and Public Utilities, which operate under legal frameworks designed to regulate ownership and prevent disputes.
He noted that Governor Adil has consistently demonstrated a firm commitment to combating land grabbing and protecting the rights of lawful landowners in Juba and across Central Equatoria State.
“Under his leadership, the state government has intensified efforts to restore order and legality in land administration through several key interventions, including strengthening demarcation and documentation systems to prevent illegal land occupation, allocating and showing plots to rightful owners, and enforcing administrative measures against individuals or groups involved in land grabbing,” he said.
He called on the citizens to disregard misinformation and propaganda being peddled by a group he referred to as “political mileage.”
“The Government of Central Equatoria State remains committed to transparency, accountability, and the rule of law in land administration. Regarding the plot in Jebel Nyoka, it was unprecedentedly allocated by former Mayor Kalisto and distributed to individuals, in which Governor Emmanuel subsequently issued a cancellation note of that allocation,” he said.
He said the Office of the Governor will promptly take all necessary legal steps to address what it described as a sustained campaign of misinformation and defamation allegedly being led by certain individuals known as “Onen” against the governor’s reputation.
“The state leadership under Governor Adil remains at the forefront of fighting land grabbing and all forms of malpractice related to land issues.”
Central Equatoria has in recent years faced recurring land-related disputes, particularly in the Jebel Nyoka areas surrounding Juba, where rapid urban expansion has increased pressure on land resources.
