Icolo e Bengo: Residents denounce demolitions over alleged plans to sell land to Chinese companies and report two deaths
Friends of Angola calls for an independent investigation into allegations of coercion, home demolitions, and violence in the Vila Verde Cativa neighbourhood, in the municipality of Sequele.
Residents of Vila Verde Cativa — Sector 1, in Icolo e Bengo province, denounce the demolition of their homes and the alleged seizure of land for subsequent sale to Chinese companies. According to residents, a woman and a newborn baby girl died during events associated with the demolitions. Injuries have also been reported.
The residents, who say they have lived in the community for more than 40 years, report being pressured through blackmail and intimidation to surrender most of their land. They allege that their homes were demolished even after they had surrendered those plots.
The identities of the companies allegedly benefiting from these actions, the existence of sale or land transfer agreements, and the administrative grounds for the demolitions remain unclear.
Residents report deaths and injuries
According to the accounts provided, a woman died of a heart attack after witnessing the demolition of her home. Residents also report that a newborn baby girl died inside a house during its demolition and that some residents were injured by armed individuals.
The circumstances of the reported deaths and injuries have not been independently verified for this article. Establishing what happened requires witness statements, medical records, and other evidence.
According to Friends of Angola, images reviewed by the organisation show armed personnel who appear to belong to the National Police and the Angolan Armed Forces (FAA). Their identities and any involvement in the alleged acts also require verification.
Previous allegations in the same neighbourhood
The latest allegations follow earlier reports of demolitions in Vila Verde Cativa.
In June 2026, Rádio Angola published allegations by Gregório Victorino Satchihama, a former chair of the Residents’ Committee, who accused Sequele municipal enforcement officials of ordering the demolition of his home without prior notice.
In July, Portal TV Nzinga reported the case of Vilma Luzia Bumba Pazito Diata, who was seeking 28,060,000 kwanzas in compensation for the demolition of a home that she said had been built with permission from the administration.
These cases establish a history of complaints in the same neighbourhood, but they do not confirm the latest allegations concerning deaths, injuries, or the possible sale of land.
Friends of Angola calls for urgent intervention
Given the seriousness of the allegations, Friends of Angola is calling for intervention by the governor of Icolo e Bengo province, Auzílio de Oliveira Martins Jacob, and an urgent, independent, and transparent investigation.
The organisation calls for the suspension of demolitions and transfers of disputed land until the facts are established. It also requests the disclosure of administrative authorisations and any sale or land transfer agreements, along with the identification of the entities involved.
Proposed measures include medical and psychological assistance, safe accommodation, and food support for affected families, as well as protection for residents and witnesses against threats or retaliation.
Friends of Angola condemns the seizure of land through coercion and the arbitrary destruction of homes, maintaining that no economic interest can justify endangering the lives and dignity of communities.
The organisation also calls on President João Manuel Gonçalves Lourenço to monitor the case and urges political, traditional, and religious leaders to help pursue a peaceful and transparent resolution.
No response from the provincial authorities, municipal administration, security forces, or companies mentioned in the allegations is available for this article. Their responses are essential to clarifying the events and should be incorporated into an update.