Land Dispute: Delta Communities In War Of Words
Despite painstaking efforts by the Delta State government to arrest the upsurge between Ogbe-Ijoh and Aladja communities in Udu and Warri South West Local Government Areas of the state the warring communities have refused to ceasefire.
While Aladja community is faulting Ogbe-Ijoh over the claim on the land which they say is located on their community, Ogbe-Ijoh on the other hand is accusing Aladja Community of encroaching into their land.
According to Ogbe-Ijoh community leaders their boundaries with Owvian and other Communities are well defined historic lines that is backed up by instruments.
Chairman, Ogbe-Ijoh Governing Council, Alex Akemotubo and Monday Keme, a Representative of the Community made this known while speaking with journalists when the Prof. Abednego Ekoko’s led Panel visited Ogbe-Ijoh for them to identify their boundary as contained in their Memoranda to the Panel.
They described the encroachment claim by Aladja as baseless and unfounded as according to the duo, Aladja have nothing to show to substantiate their claims, emphasizing that the land they currently occupy was never given to them by Aladja people as claimed.
However, they promised their willingness to respect and comply with the final report and recommendations of the Panel as a peace and law abiding community.
On his part, the Chairman, Panel of Inquiry to Survey and demarcate the boundary between Udu and Warri Southwest Local Government Areas, Prof. Abednego Ekoko has expressed satisfaction with the conduct of Ogbe-Ijoh and Aladja Communities when the Panel visited both Communities for identification of claims.
During the exercise that lasted for three days that took the Committee to various points on land and on water to the two Communities, Prof. Ekoko thanked elders, community leaders and youths for their optimum cooperation with Members of the Panel and for painstakingly conducting them round their claims. Prof. Ekoko said “with what we have seen, the Panel can now address terms of reference number 2 which is, what is the extent of land in dispute between the two Communities”.
On the Panel’s observation when it visited Ogbe-Ijoh, Prof. Ekoko noted that the land in dispute from what was shown to them is clearly defined and expressed confidence that his Committee will come out with recommendations that will be satisfactory to both parties. “I can see a win win situation for Ogbe-Ijoh and Aladja. I am very confident that both communities will leave peacefully and harmoniously at the end of our assignment. When they leave in peace, there will be progress and development”.
Members of the Ekoko’s Panel were conducted round six boundary points by the Ogbe-Ijoh people which transverses both land and water through the creeks amidst tight security while the Surveyor-General of the State, Okeoghene Osiawa who is also a member of the Panel and Professional Surveyors from his Office were seen using Global Positioning Systems (GPS) gadgets to establish the various boundary points alleged to be Ogbe-Ijoh traditional boundaries.