By Okon Okon
The Oleh community in Delta State has petitioned the Federal Government to wade into the land dispute between it and its neighbour, Ozoro in order to avert “further bloodshed”
In the petition addressed to the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi ,(SAN) the community said that 12 people had been killed over the land dispute.
The community, therefore urged the minister to promptly wade into the dispute, by calling on the state to obey a subsisting court order on it, in other “to avert another bloodbath after the killing of Oleh 12”
The petition made available to newsmen in Abuja on Friday was signed by Mr. Believe Unuafe and Pastor Benjamin Odize, President General and Secretary General, Oleh Community Development Union (ODU) respectively.
“It is with a heavy heart that we appeal to you to intervene and urge the Secretary to Delta State Government (SSG), Dr. Kingsley Emu, to adhere/respect subsisting court judgments regarding the Oleh and Ozoro Communities land boundary issues in Delta State.
“The failure to do so had resulted in the tragic murder of twelve (12) Oleh individuals who went to farm as labourers to earn a living.on October 16, 2020.
“Oleh, as a local government headquarters, is home to peaceful and law-abiding citizens. Despite the loss of innocent lives, we have refrained from retaliatory actions.
“We implore your esteemed office, the Federal Government, and the Nigerian State to take cognisance of the oppressive actions of Dr. Kingsley Emu against the Oleh Community,” the petitioners alleged.
They added “The oppressive actions have the potential of heating the polity, such that will lead to further crisis between the two communities, if not addressed promptly,”
“It is essential to recognise that Oleh and Ozoro Communities are both local government headquarters, inhabited by predominantly non-indigenous individuals.
“The non indigene could be caught in the crossfire, if the actions or inactions of the SSG lead to violent attacks on Oleh farmers by the Ozoro people.
“It is imperative to prevent any escalation that may result in further casualty”.
They recalled that, following the killings of the 12 people in their community, the former Delta Governor, Dr Ifeanyi Okowa, had established a Judicial Commission of Enquiry to investigate the boundary dispute.
They said the commission’s report presented on July 7, 2022, resulted in a White Paper issued by the State Executive Council and a map from the commission’s technical team.
“Regrettably, upon thorough examination of the map and the White Paper, discrepancies were discovered that undermined the original objective of seeking peace.
“Subsequently, legal action was taken, leading to a restraining order against the families of Ozoro landowners and the Delta state government.
“The court prohibited the execution of the white paper or encroachment onto the land due to inconsistencies in the map,” they said.
Highlighting the inconsistencies, the petitioners said that the map produced by the technical committee was in conflict with the white paper,
They said the allocation was in direct conflict with an earlier court judgment which confirmed ownership of the land by Oleh’s Ekrona – Ekredhegbe – Ekromokpose families along Oleh-Ozoro Road in their produced map.
“The allocation indicated areas where Oleh land owning families have obtained judgment be shared to Ozoro Community.
“The coordinates of the proposed boundary line established by the surveyors (Pp 7.4) contradicted the evidence and the actual boundaries as established during the commission’s visit to the land put in dispute by Ozoro Community.
“By this, it increased the land mass purported to be in dispute and reducing the land mass free from dispute by 15.8 hectares (39.1 acres).
This irregularity warrants the attention of the SSG and the State Government, but sadly, they have turned a blind eye to it,” they alleged.
Justifying their claims, the leaders contended that there were defunct Delta State and Federal Government establishments and institutions situated in their community’s expanse of lands about to be ceded to Ozoro.
They listed the institutions in Oleh to include, Origho Primary School, Emonsoyen, founded in 1992, Bendel Broadcasting Service, acquired by the defunct Bendel State Government over 40 years back.
“These are old landmarks known to the State and Federal Governments (INEC) that have never been in dispute or contentious.
“Therefore, shying away from the truth or politicising sensitive communal matters and hurriedly ceding our lands for selfish gains is not in the interest of peace and tranquillity,” they said.
The community leaders, therefore, urged that,
in the interest of peace and justice, the AGF should use his revered office to prevail on the state, and the SSG to give peace a chance and respect the rule of law,
“The SSG should allow the Delta State High Court holden at the Warri Judicial Division, to adjudicate on the issues submitted before it in suit No HCO/54/2022, by the aggrieved Oleh land owning families.
“We have absolute confidence in the Court to have a fair hearing, while we patiently wait for its adjudication on the Oleh/Ozoro land boundary dispute .
“It should be noted that, ceding our heritage and ancestral inheritance, which we have valid subsisting court judgment against the Ozoro Community is total disregard to the rule of law and a defeat to government efforts trying to resolve the crisis.
“We therefore seek your assistance as the Chief Law officer of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in admonishing the SSG and the Delta State Government to respect the rule of law to avert a potential breakdown of law and order.
The petition was copied to Sen. Godswill Akpabio, the Senate President, Hon. Tajudeen Abbas Speaker of the House of Represent and Sen. Joel-Onowakpo Thomas, representing
Delta South Senatorial District.
Others copied with the petition are, Hon. Ukodhiko Jonathan, Member representing Isoko North/South Constituency in the House of Representatives as well as the Attorney-General and Commissioner For Justice,
Delta State.