By Cynthia Eruotor
A group under the auspices of Aladja Renaissance Group said they would not accept Delta State government’s purported handover of disputed land between them and Ogbe-Ijoh to Ogbe-ijoh as the land belongs to Aladja Community.
In press statement signed by the Group’s Convener, Comrade Sylvester Itebu and its Secretary, Miss Sheila Eriavwen and made available to newsmen said they perceived that Delta State government is ceding their land to Ogbe-Ijoh in Warri South West Local Government Council describing purported acquisition of land as “hasty Acquisition” of Aladja Community land of which its message was passed through the media by the Secretary to the State Government, Dr. Kingsley Emu.Part of the statement reads:”The group said: “We perceived that our land is being ceded to Ogbe-Ijoh in Warri South West Local Government Area by the Delta State government, we reject this in its entirety“.
According to the group,this government said to have proffered solution to the lingering land dispute between Aladja Community and Ogbe-ijoh Community by hastily ceding their farmsteads/farmlands to Ogbe-ijoh, the action which they view as mischievous. The group said with the position taken by the government on the matter, Ogbe-Ijoh people have nothing to lose because they are not farmers but they are bent to grab land.
According to the group,for there to be total peace and justice over the disputed land, the government should study thoroughly all the past Panel’s reports, especially that of Justice Nwulu’s and Late Prof. Abednigo Ikoko’s Panels and the Exco’s adopted resolution which its implementation was aborted by the then Surveyor General. The group urged the Delta State to dispense justice without fear or favour-; the one devoid of political considerations and that personal interests in the age -long land dispute between these two communities.
Part of the statement read:” Delta State Government should be bold enough and call a spade a spade to enable the dispute to be settled once and for all to allow peace to reign in the area.”The group said, there are bold reliefs, natural features on both sides of the Aladja/Ogbe-Ijoh road that could be connected to serve as boundary between the two communities.
Recall that there has been a lingering boundary dispute between Aladja Community in Udu Local Government Area and Ogbe-ijoh Community in Warri South West which has claimed lives and property.