The people of Issele-Azagba in Oshemille North Local Government Area of Delta State are calling on Governor Sheriff Oborevwori and Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, to intervene in a land dispute, fearing it could escalate into violence similar to the Okuama incident.
In the Delta State communities of Bomadi and Okuama, after a land dispute, youths killed at least seventeen military men.
In a letter signed and sent to journalists on Friday, the community through their lawyer, Larry Olise accused Okpanam land grabbers of attacking and driving out residents and destroying homes in the Akpoma quarters of Iselle Asagba community.
Mr Olise said Peace committees and border agreements, amongst various attempts to maintain the peace in the past, have failed. In order to prevent things from getting worse, the community is now pleading with the government and police to intervane and maintain the established boundaries and deal with people who are stirring up challenges.
The lawyer said the Okpanam people have refused to follow the established surround limits, regardless of the committee’s conclusion to the contrary.
Through suit No. HCI/23/2021, they recently obtained an order from the Issele-Uku High Court enabling them to visit the contested land area in order to carry out a litigation survey.
But instead of carrying out the survey, they began building a perimeter fence and bulldozing in the center of the Issele-Azagba hamlet.
While some residents of Issele-Azagba fear for their lives, others are being forced out from their home. unless the appropriate authorities act immediately and decisively, there maybe alot of killings in the both community.
Olisa said that a business tycoon named Chinedu Okere, who has a major real estate investments, is also a victim of land grabbers. Through a petition to the Inspector General of Police, they declared him a criminal and took custody of the land he legitimately acquired from the Akpoma people in Issele-Azagba.
The petition further declared that the land grabbers from Okpanam had infringed on the terms of a consent judgment reached and delivered by Justice Philomena Obanor at the Issele-Uku High Court on June 19, 2012 in suit No. HCI/5/2012.
The petition urged the Delta state government to delineate and enforce the existing boundary lines agreed upon between the two neighboring communities
The petition read in part: “The people of Issele-Azagba, being peace-loving, even ceded parts of their land to the Okpanam community in 2010 as a way of ensuring peace between the two sister communities.
“Representatives from both communities signed the agreement. However, some members of Okpanam have breached the agreement, forcibly seizing Issele-Azagba land with the help of armed thugs.
